Each NHL team plays 84 regular season games in 2026 to 27, up from 82. That is 42 at home and 42 on the road. The league plays 1,344 games.
The answer to how many games in an NHL season changed this year. Some pages still show 82, the usual count since 1995 to 96.
The pace tool below shows any team’s season over 84 games.
How many games does each NHL team play?
Each team plays 84 regular season games. The season opens September 29, 2026 and ends April 10, 2027.
NHL.com lists 2026 to 27 as the first 84 game season in 33 years. It is the third 84 game season in league history.
Home and road games
Every team plays 42 home games and 42 road games. Each number is one higher than last season.
The playoffs come on top of those 84 games. The preseason comes before them.
How the league total adds up
The NHL has 32 teams. These steps turn 84 games for each team into the league total:
- 32 teams play 84 games each. 32 times 84 is 2,688.
- Every game has 2 teams, so 2,688 counts each game twice.
- 2,688 divided by 2 is 1,344.
NHL.com calls the 1,344 game schedule an all time high. Last season the same steps gave 1,312. 32 times 82 is 2,624, and half of that is 1,312.
What changed from 82 to 84 games?
Each team gained one home game and one road game. Both new games are against division rivals.
This table sets 2026 to 27 beside 2025 to 26.
| What | 2026 to 27 | 2025 to 26 |
|---|---|---|
| Games for each team | 84 | 82 |
| Home games | 42 | 41 |
| Road games | 42 | 41 |
| Division games | 28 | 26 |
| Other games in the conference | 24 | 24 |
| Games against the other conference | 32 | 32 |
| League total | 1,344 | 1,312 |
| Opening night | September 29, 2026 | October 7, 2025 |
| Last regular season day | April 10, 2027 | April 16, 2026 |
Where the two new games go
Division games rose from 26 to 28. Each team now plays all 7 division rivals 4 times. 7 times 4 is 28.
Against each rival, 2 games are at home and 2 are on the road. The other two groups did not change. The rest of the conference stays at 24 games, and the other conference stays at 32.
How the agreement links to 84 games
The NHL and the NHLPA agreed to a four year extension of their collective bargaining agreement in June 2025. Both sides ratified it on July 8, 2025.
NHL.com says the reduced 2026 to 27 preseason results from that agreement. It says the shorter preseason accommodates the expansion to 84 games. Each team gets two more divisional games.
Who does a team play in 84 games?
Every team plays the other 31 teams at least once at home and once on the road. The number of games depends on the group.
This table shows each group of opponents and the games against it.
| Opponents | Teams | Games against each | Total games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division | 7 | 4 | 28 |
| Rest of the conference | 8 | 3 | 24 |
| Other conference | 16 | 2 | 32 |
| All opponents | 31 | 4, 3 or 2 | 84 |
Our guide to how many NHL teams there are shows the 32 teams by division.
How many games in an NHL season over the years?
The count has changed many times. The NHL.com season table shows 22 games for each team in 1917 to 18. Today it is 84.
This table shows the usual count in each stretch of seasons.
| Seasons | Scheduled games for each team |
|---|---|
| 1917 to 18 | 22 |
| 1918 to 19 | 18 |
| 1919 to 20 through 1923 to 24 | 24 |
| 1924 to 25 | 30 |
| 1925 to 26 | 36 |
| 1926 to 27 through 1930 to 31 | 44 |
| 1931 to 32 through 1941 to 42 | 48 |
| 1942 to 43 through 1945 to 46 | 50 |
| 1946 to 47 through 1948 to 49 | 60 |
| 1949 to 50 through 1966 to 67 | 70 |
| 1967 to 68 | 74 |
| 1968 to 69 and 1969 to 70 | 76 |
| 1970 to 71 through 1973 to 74 | 78 |
| 1974 to 75 through 1991 to 92 | 80 |
| 1992 to 93 and 1993 to 94 | 84 |
| 1995 to 96 through 2025 to 26, except the seasons listed below | 82 |
| 2026 to 27 | 84 |
Shortened and missing seasons
The fewest games in an NHL season that was played was 18 for each team, in 1918 to 19.
Five seasons broke the pattern, and four of them sit inside the 82 game stretch:
- 1994 to 95: 48 games for each team.
- 2004 to 05: no games.
- 2012 to 13: 48 games for each team.
- 2019 to 20: paused on March 12, 2020, with 1,082 games played in the league.
- 2020 to 21: 56 games for each team.
The earlier 84 game seasons
The most games in an NHL season for each team is 84. The NHL played that many in 1992 to 93 and 1993 to 94. The league totals were 1,008 and 1,092 games.
The 1994 to 95 season dropped to 48 games. The 82 game schedule began in 1995 to 96.
How do 82 game totals change in 84 games?
A total from 2025 to 26 grows a little in 84 games. Multiply the total by 84, then divide by 82.
Turn a total into an 84 game pace
This example starts with 100 points in 82 games:
- 100 times 84 is 8,400.
- 8,400 divided by 82 is 102.4.
- The same pace gives 102.4 points in 84 games.
Last season’s lowest playoff totals over 84 games
In the final 2025 to 26 standings, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia made the East playoffs with 98 points, the fewest of any East playoff team. Los Angeles made the West playoffs with 90, the fewest of any West playoff team.
This table shows each total over 82 games and over 84 games.
| Total in 82 games | Same pace in 84 games |
|---|---|
| 100 points | 102.4 |
| 50 goals | 51.2 |
| 40 wins | 41.0 |
| 98 points, fewest for an East playoff team | 100.4 |
| 90 points, fewest for a West playoff team | 92.2 |
Our guide to points in hockey shows points a game in an 84 game season. See how the NHL playoffs work for how wild cards get in.
Check a team’s pace over 84 games
Pick points, wins or goals, then slide to the games played and type your total. See the pace over 84 games, the games left and the 84 square season grid.
How many NHL games in a season can a team play with the playoffs?
A Stanley Cup winner can play between 16 and 28 playoff games. That brings its season to between 100 and 112 games.
A team needs 4 wins in each of 4 rounds. Each round is a best of seven series. Our guide to how many rounds are in hockey has the details.
The fewest and the most
These steps show both ends of the range:
- Four sweeps give 4 games in each round. 4 rounds times 4 games is 16.
- Four series that go 7 games give 28. 4 rounds times 7 games is 28.
- 84 plus 16 is 100.
- 84 plus 28 is 112.
Last season the most a team could play was 110 games. 82 plus 28 is 110.
Preseason games
Preseason games come before the 84. They do not add to how many games in an NHL season a team plays. NHL.com lists a 65 game preseason slate from September 19 to 26 across 36 venues.
An NHL.com story on the new agreement said the preseason would reportedly drop to four games for each team, down from six.
When does the 84 game season run?
The season runs 194 days, from September 29, 2026 to April 10, 2027. Games are played on 185 of those days.
Nine dates have no games:
- December 23 to 25, the holiday break.
- February 4 to 7, the All Star break.
- November 20.
- November 26.
194 minus 9 is 185. All 32 teams play on October 13 and on April 10. Our guide to when the NHL season ends has the playoff dates.
How many games do the AHL and PWHL play?
The NHL plays 84 games for each team, and the AHL plays 72. The AHL has 32 teams and 1,152 games in 2026 to 27.
The PWHL plays 30 games for each team. It has 12 teams and 180 games.
This table puts the three leagues side by side.
| League | Teams | Games for each team | League total | Regular season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL | 32 | 84 | 1,344 | September 29 to April 10 |
| AHL | 32 | 72 | 1,152 | October 2 to April 11 |
| PWHL | 12 | 30 | 180 | December 5 to April 18 |
Games played questions
Does every NHL team play every other team?
Yes. Each team plays the other 31 at least once at home and once on the road.
Division rivals play 4 times. The rest of the conference plays 3 times, and the other conference plays 2 times.
How many home games does an NHL team play?
An NHL team plays 42 home games and 42 road games. Last season each number was 41.
When did the NHL last play 84 games?
The last 84 game seasons before this one were 1992 to 93 and 1993 to 94. NHL.com calls 2026 to 27 the first 84 game season in 33 years.
How many games in an NHL season did teams play last year?
Each team played 82 games in 2025 to 26. The league played 1,312 games in all.
How many days is the regular season?
The 2026 to 27 regular season runs 194 days, from September 29 to April 10. Teams play on 185 of those days.
How many NHL games in a season can a Cup winner play?
A Cup winner can play up to 112 games. That is 84 in the regular season and 28 in the playoffs. The fewest possible is 100.
Why did the NHL go to 84 games?
NHL.com links the move to the collective bargaining agreement. It says the reduced 2026 to 27 preseason results from that agreement and accommodates the expansion to 84 games.
Take your shot
A page says each NHL team plays 82 games. Which count is right for 2026 to 27?
Pick one to take your shot.
Checked against NHL.com 2026 to 27 schedule
NHL.com, 2026 to 27 regular season schedule facts
AHL 2026 to 27 schedule release
PWHL 2026 to 27 schedule release
Checked November 2026
