NHL Network announces wall-to-wall 2026-27 season programming lineup and new game schedule

NHL Network has announced plans for expanded 2026-27 season programming that will feature “wall-to-wall studio coverage” and a schedule of live NHL regular-season games throughout the year. The network said the season will include regular weekday studio programming, along with live game telecasts distributed across the schedule, starting early in October as teams open their standard league campaigns.

According to the NHL, NHL Network’s live regular-season game coverage begins with Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. ET. The network also confirmed that the first of 20 NHL Network Showcase games for the 2026-27 season will be broadcast on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. ET, with E.J. Hradek and Kevin Weekes calling the contest between the Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings.

Ahead of the regular season, NHL Network will air back-to-back, one-hour editions of NHL Tonight focused on conference previews. The Eastern Conference Preview is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. ET, featuring Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek and Mike Rupp. Immediately following at 7 p.m. ET, the Western Conference Preview will air with Hradek, Tony Luftman and Nate Thompson.

The NHL said Top Shelf, a 30-minute highlight and recap program, will make its season debut on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. ET. The network’s broadcast team for the broader weekday coverage includes hosts and analysts listed by the NHL, including Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek, Alexa Landestoy, Tony Luftman, Kathryn Tappen, Adnan Virk and Erika Wachter.

The NHL also detailed the addition of former coaches Bruce Boudreau and Tony Granato, who will join the network’s regular roster. In addition, NHL Network plans to use 18 former players turned analysts who, according to the league, collectively bring “more than 225 NHL seasons and over 12,000 NHL games played.” The group named by the NHL includes Brian Boyle, Ken Daneyko, Michael Del Zotto, Jason Demers, Devan Dubnyk, Stu Grimson, Thomas Hickey, Billy Jaffe, Mike Johnson, Steve Konroyd, Bill Lindsay, Pat Maroon, Dave Reid, Mike Rupp, Cory Schneider, Devante Smith-Pelly, Nate Thompson and Kevin Weekes.

Alongside that analyst group, the NHL said additional regular contributors will include Jason Bukala, Sam Cosentino and Mike Kelly, with insider Elliotte Friedman appearing regularly throughout the NHL season. The league’s announcement described these individuals as part of the network’s season coverage, without specifying which specific shows they will appear on at particular times beyond the conference-preview and selected program start dates.

For the first week of the regular season, the NHL outlined the initial programming schedule across several days. On Monday, Sept. 28, NHL Tonight will air the Eastern Conference Preview from 6 p.m. ET with Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek and Mike Rupp, followed by the NHL Tonight Western Conference Preview at 7 p.m. ET with Tony Luftman, E.J. Hradek and Nate Thompson.

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, NHL Tonight: First Shift is scheduled, with E.J. Hradek and Michael Del Zotto listed for one segment, plus additional pairings that include Jamison Coyle, Mike Rupp and Cory Schneider, and another lineup featuring Tony Luftman, Mike Johnson and Nate Thompson. Wednesday, Sept. 30 is listed with multiple showings featuring E.J. Hradek and Devan Dubnyk, Mike Rupp, Cory Schneider and Nate Thompson, and also Jamison Coyle and Mike Johnson.

Thursday, Oct. 1 programming is scheduled across several blocks, with E.J. Hradek and Billy Jaffe; Tony Luftman, Mike Rupp and Cory Schneider; Jamison Coyle, Mike Johnson and Nate Thompson; and additional matchups that include E.J. Hradek and Mike Kelly as well as Jamison Coyle, Mike Rupp and Nate Thompson, plus Tony Luftman, Michael Del Zotto and Mike Johnson.

Finally, the NHL’s schedule for Saturday, Oct. 3 includes Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers and NHL Network Showcase: Winnipeg Jets at Detroit Red Wings, along with E.J. Hradek and Kevin Weekes listed for the Jets–Red Wings call. The NHL announcement also included the debut time for Top Shelf at 6 p.m. ET that day, positioned in the network’s early-season calendar.

The league announcement did not provide the full weekday studio-programming list in the excerpted text, and it directed viewers to a separate October live-game schedule for additional detail. Still, NHL Network’s season plan as released on Sept. 24 establishes the early start of live coverage on Oct. 3, the first NHL Network Showcase on Oct. 4, and a sequence of NHL Tonight conference previews leading into the regular season.

The NHL said the network programming and live game schedule are part of NHL Network’s broader role as the TV home for the National Hockey League, including studio shows, interviews, highlights and analysis, alongside live NHL games and on-site event coverage. The announcement was made by the NHL on Sept. 24, 2026.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk