Tue Oct 07 20:40:00 UTC 2025: **NHL Season Opens with Banner Raising, Coaching Debuts, and Stanley Cup Favorites**

**Sunrise, FL** – The 2025-26 NHL season kicked off Tuesday night with a tripleheader, highlighted by the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers raising their championship banner before facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Panthers, fresh off their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory, celebrated the achievement with fans at Amerant Bank Arena, despite key players Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov being sidelined with injuries.

The season also marks coaching debuts, with Dan Muse leading the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Rangers. Muse, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Rangers, will face his former team with Arturs Silovs starting in goal, a surprising move over veteran Tristan Jarry.

In New York, Mike Sullivan takes the helm as head coach of the Rangers and is focused on implementing a puck-pursuit style, mirroring the success of teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. Sullivan emphasized the importance of speed and tenacity in winning back possession in the offensive zone. The Rangers have finalized their roster, including Noah Laba as the third-line center, and will focus on special teams with the top power play unit lead by Fox, Panarin, Trocheck, Zibanejad, and Miller.

Meanwhile, experts are already looking ahead to potential Stanley Cup contenders. The Edmonton Oilers enter the season as top favorites, having reached the finals in both of the past two seasons. However, questions remain about their goaltending and depth beyond star players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The Los Angeles Kings, on the other hand, face a challenging season, haunted by four consecutive first-round playoff exits. The Colorado Avalanche look to return to their dominant form, hoping to recapture the magic that led them to the Stanley Cup in 2022.

The new season also sees an NHL where recent contracts show how difficult it is to predict player contract values under the current cap system.

Fans can follow the action live on Fubo and get the latest updates from The Athletic’s NHL writers.

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