The Florida Panthers enter the NHL season as defending champions. © APA / CHRISTIAN PETERSEN

Start of the 109th NHL season: Florida wants the impossible

The Florida Panthers begin their three-peat campaign on Tuesday. The Panthers have won the Stanley Cup the past two seasons and are aiming to become the first team in over 40 years to win the NHL three times in a row. But it might not be that easy.

06 October 2025

From: apa/fop

No club has achieved an NHL hat trick since the New York Islanders, who triumphed four times between 1980 and 1983. Florida is looking to end that streak in the 109th season of the world's best league, but is currently without two of its best forwards due to injury. Captain Aleksander Barkov will likely miss the entire regular season, and Matt Tkachuk is expected to return in December.

Coach Paul Maurice's team begins its title defense at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday (23 p.m., CEST). Ice hockey fans in Europe can watch live via Sky, the pay-TV channel broadcasting a total of 300 NHL games in several countries.

Ovechkin's last dance?

Superstars Connor McDavid and top scorer Leon Draisaitl (52 goals) are hungry for their first Stanley Cup. The duo has reached the Finals twice with the Edmonton Oilers, but each time they lost to the Panthers. A win would also end the long drought for Canadian teams. No team from the homeland of ice hockey has won the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. The Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes are also highly considered.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard (from left) are the Edmonton Oilers' stars. © APA / CODIE MCLACHLAN

For one of the greatest players in history, this season could be his farewell performance. "I don't know if it will be my last season. We'll see," said Alexander Ovechkin, whose contract with the Washington Capitals expires after this season. The 40-year-old Russian broke Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record (894 goals) at the beginning of April and is currently the league's leading scorer with 897 goals. Ovechkin scored 44 goals last season, making him the league's third-leading scorer despite being 39 years old.

Olympic break in February

A total of 1.312 games are scheduled until the end of the regular season on April 16. From November 14-16, the NHL will also return to Europe, playing two games in Sweden. For the first time since 2014, the league will also be on hiatus to allow its stars to participate in the Olympic Games in Milan. Play will be suspended for 19 days, from February 6-25.