NHL on TNT Drops the Puck on 2026-27 Season with Opening Week Doubleheader Wednesday, Sept. 30

TNT Sports will drop the puck on its 2026-27 NHL on TNT season with a star-studded Opening Week doubleheader on Wednesday, September 30 across TNT, truTV and HBO Max.

The night will begin with one of hockey's fiercest rivalries taking center ice, as the Battle of Pennsylvania renews with hockey icon Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting rising stars Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov and the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Kenny Albert will provide play-by-play for the game, with analysis from Eddie Olczyk and Brian Boucher.

Then at 10 p.m., two Western Conference heavyweights will collide as the Colorado Avalanche, led by 2024 Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and Captain Gabriel Landeskog, host a Los Angeles Kings squad led by Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe.

Brendan Burke will call the action, with commentary from Darren Pang and Jackie Redmond.

Before the puck drops, TNT Sports will bring its signature NHL studio coverage directly to fans in Philadelphia. Beginning at 6 p.m., a special 90-minute edition of NHL on TNT Face Off will originate from Stateside Live!, just steps from the arena, with interviews, special guest appearances, fan interaction and comprehensive analysis surrounding Opening Week.

Host Liam McHugh will be joined by Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Henrik Lundqvist, along with Anson Carter and Paul Bissonnette, to set the stage for Penguins-Flyers. The studio team will also provide insight and commentary throughout the night, including during game intermissions and through postgame coverage following Kings-Avalanche.

The 2026-27 NHL on TNT regular season schedule will showcase many of the League's biggest stars, top teams and most storied rivalries throughout the season, highlighted by the annual Thanksgiving Showdown, classic Original Six matchups, regular Tuesday and Wednesday night telecasts and an extensive slate of Sunday games during the second half of the season.

TNT Sports will also serve as the exclusive home of the Discover NHL Winter Classic, bringing hockey's most iconic outdoor game to fans nationwide on New Year's Eve. The Colorado Avalanche and Utah Mammoth will face off at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, promising one of the more unforgettable backdrops to the annual outdoor spectacle.

The season will culminate with TNT Sports' presentation of the 2027 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including exclusive coverage of the 2027 Stanley Cup Final across TNT Sports' platforms.