NHL Schedule Drops With Key Dates and Missed Opportunities

The 2026-27 NHL schedule is finally here, and it's already revealing which teams got favorable matchups and which ones drew the short straw in the league's annual scheduling lottery. Every season has pivotal dates that can make or break a playoff push, and this year's calendar is no exception. Some franchises will look at their schedule and see a path to the Cup, while others are already calculating how many points they'll need to overcome a brutal stretch of games.