Games and storylines you need to know after NY Islanders schedule release

This season will be an 84-game schedule and we got our first full look of it on Thursday.

New York Islanders will open the regular season on Sept. 30 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs in a matchup that features an intriguing storyline, as 2025 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer begins his sophomore campaign against 2026 first overall selection Gavin McKenna in the first meeting between what the league expects to be two of its brightest young stars.

Three nights later, the Islanders return to UBS Arena for their home opener on Oct. 3 against the New Jersey Devils. One of the most anticipated games on the schedule comes midway through the season when former captain Anders Lee returns to Long Island for the first time since signing with the Utah Mammoth in free agency. Lee will make his emotional return to UBS Arena on Feb. 15 in a 3 p.m. matinee, while the Islanders will visit Utah on Dec. 15.

The schedule also offers some favorable stretches.

The Islanders won't play a single back-to-back game before Thanksgiving, a welcome change after navigating a demanding schedule last season. They have 13 back-to-backs overall, with the workload heavily concentrated after November. Four come in December, followed by two in January, three in February, two in March and one in April.

The club will also enjoy extended time at home during the early part of the season. Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 10, the Islanders will play seven of nine games at UBS Arena, with only two single-game trips to Philadelphia interrupting that stretch. They also open March with four consecutive home games, the only time all season they'll play four straight on home ice.

Travel becomes more challenging around the All-Star break. The Islanders embark on their longest road trip of the season with five consecutive games away from home before returning from the break with a rivalry matchup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Another notable quirk is that after Feb. 23, the Islanders play just one Western Conference opponent, visiting the St. Louis Blues on March 25. Otherwise, the stretch run will be dominated by Eastern Conference opponents, setting the stage for what could be another tightly contested playoff race.

Start circling the dates, another NHL season is inching closer by the day.

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