Eighty-five fixtures. That number alone tells you something about the scale of what the Chicago Blackhawks are walking into this autumn. One of the NHL's founding franchises — part of the Original Six, a lineage shared only with Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, Boston, and New York — the Blackhawks don't do quiet seasons. And the schedule stretching from late September into next year suggests this one will be no different.
Preseason as a Statement: What September Tells Us
The Blackhawks open their preseason with two home games at the United Center before October even arrives. First up, on 22 September, Minnesota Wild come to Chicago — a Central Division rival who know exactly how much these early encounters matter for setting a tone. Then, four days later on 26 September, the St. Louis Blues visit for a second preseason test.
There's something deliberate about a preseason built almost entirely around the United Center. This isn't accidental scheduling. Playing your tune-up games at home, in front of a crowd that knows six Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters, is a way of reminding a squad what the expectation looks like before the regular season arrives. Buy tickets for the opening Minnesota Wild preseason game and be there when it begins.
- →Tue, 22 September 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Sat, 26 September 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
The Regular Season Opens — and It Opens Hard
By the first week of October, the real business starts. On 7 October, the Blues are back — this time it counts. Then the Hurricanes arrive on 10 October, followed by the Penguins on 14 October. Four days later, the Jets and the Stars both appear on the schedule within 24 hours of each other: 16 and 17 October. That's a punishing back-to-back to open the account.
A back-to-back against Winnipeg and Dallas in the opening fortnight of the regular season is not a schedule that gives you room to find your feet.
What makes this run notable is that it is almost entirely hosted at the United Center. The Blackhawks are being asked to establish their home credentials immediately. Playing Carolina, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg, and Dallas in quick succession — all in Chicago — means the crowd will earn its keep. The United Center, shared with the Chicago Bulls, has a history of generating genuine atmosphere during high-stakes hockey. These early October nights will put that to the test.
- →Wed, 7 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Sat, 10 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Wed, 14 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Fri, 16 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Sat, 17 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
The Original Six Dimension: Montreal at the United Center
Of all the fixtures visible in this opening stretch, the 24 October home game against the Montreal Canadiens deserves particular attention. When two of the Original Six meet — franchises that have been competing in the NHL since the 1920s — the context writes itself. This isn't simply a Central Division fixture or a points-chasing exercise. It's a meeting of institutions, of hockey's oldest bloodlines. The Blackhawks, founded in 1926, and the Canadiens share a history that predates the modern NHL era. Expect a full United Center to know exactly what it's watching.
- →Sat, 24 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Sun, 25 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
- →Wed, 28 October 2026 — Chicago (United Center) décompte
What This Schedule Reveals About the Season's Shape
Look at the opening six weeks of this schedule and a clear picture emerges: the Blackhawks are being asked to do the bulk of their early-season work at home, against a spread of opponents ranging from Central Division rivals like St. Louis and Winnipeg to Eastern Conference sides like Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Florida. That breadth is useful. It will quickly tell us — and the Blackhawks themselves — how they match up across different styles of play before the winter grind sets in.
With 85 fixtures in total, there will be no shortage of moments to assess. But the opening weeks at the United Center, culminating in back-to-back encounters against Montreal and Florida on 24 and 25 October, represent a genuine early-season examination. The fixture list doesn't ease you in — it asks the question immediately.