NHL schedule release: What to watch for next season, from Matthew Schaefer to more Ovechkin

The NHL released its 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday, 1,312 games set to be played from Oct. 7-April 16 before the chase for the Stanley Cup.

Soon, there will be 1,344, with each of the league's 32 teams playing 84 games starting in 2026-27. But until that happens, here's a look at some of the best hockey has to offer next season:

No. 1 draft pick Matthew Schaefer is no sure bet to make the New York Islanders out of training camp. If he does, Schaefer would be in line to make his NHL debut on Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Crosby, 38, is entering his 21st season. Schaefer turns 18 just a little over a month before opening night.

Schaefer would be the second top pick in three years to start his pro career against Crosby on the road. Chicago's Connor Bedard also did so in 2023 on the way to winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

The back-to-back defending champion Florida Panthers are set to raise their second consecutive Stanley Cup banner as part of an opening night tripleheader on Oct. 7, and it will not take long for fans to see way more games on the same day.

There are 16, with every team in action, for the first time this season on Saturday, Oct. 11. That happens again on Tuesday, Oct. 28 with game times staggered from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. EDT.

Each of the three final Saturdays of the season features 15 games.

The Penguins and Nashville Predators face off in a pair of games in Stockholm on Nov. 14 and 16. The New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins in the “Thanksgiving Showdown” on Black Friday, Nov. 28.

The first Winter Classic in Florida takes place Jan. 2 when the Panthers host the Rangers at the Miami Marlins' ballpark with a retractable roof. A surefire open-air game across the Sunshine State comes roughly a month later when the Tampa Bay Lightning play Boston in the Stadium Series at the home of the NFL's Buccaneers.

The Islanders' UBS Arena is expected to hold a pre-Olympic sendoff event when the season pauses Feb. 6 for players to participate in the Milan Games. The event is in lieu of All-Star festivities, which are being rethought for future years after the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

Alex Ovechkin is three goals away from 900 after breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL career record in April. Whatever number Ovechkin finishes at — he turns 40 in September and this is the final year of his contract with the Washington Capitals — will become the new 894 that seemed unapproachable until the successful “GR8 Chase.”

Ovechkin has not closed the door on playing beyond his 21st season, but if this is it, game 81 is against Crosby in Washington. The finale is at Columbus against the Blue Jackets, against whom Ovechkin debuted in 2005.

Crosby is 13 points away from becoming the ninth player in league history with 1,700. Ovechkin would be the 10th if he records 77.

Three-time MVP Connor McDavid, coming off another Edmonton loss in the final to Florida, is far and away the leading scorer since entering the league in 2015. He's 18 points away from 1,100, while longtime Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl needs 53 to get to 1,000.

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Team West's Alex Ovechkin reacts during an exhibition match between KHL and NHL All-Star game featuring Russian players from both leagues, at CSKA Arena in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)

CHICAGO (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo returned Saturday night from the right calf strain that kept the two-time MVP from playing in the Milwaukee Bucks’ previous eight games.

Antetokounmpo was in the starting lineup for the Bucks’ game against the Chicago Bulls, after the team upgraded him after originally listing him as questionable on the injury report.

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said before the game the nine-time All-Star won’t be thrown back into the grind right away.

“He’ll be on a minutes restriction,” Rivers said.

Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since injuring his calf less than three minutes into the Bucks’ 113-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 3. The injury came on Antetokounmpo’s fourth game back after a left adductor strain caused him to miss four games.

“Maybe it was a mistake of me coming back a little bit earlier, because once I come back, now you’re overcompensating,” Antetokounmpo said on Dec. 18. “The only way you can pop your soleus is by overcompensating and then having an extreme amount of load or play a lot of games in a short period of time. Again, I think all of the things that I was thinking and trying to come back led to the incident that I had with my soleus.”

The Bucks have gone 2-6 in the eight games Antetokounmpo has missed because of the calf issue. So far this season, the Bucks are 9-8 with Antetokounmpo and 3-11 without him.

Antetokounmpo, who turned 31 on Dec. 6, has averaged 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists this season.

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FILE - Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts after suffering an injury during the first half an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kylie Bridenhagen, File)