Congratulations, the Start of the 2026-27 College Hockey Season has Arrived! Puck Drop

Even though you may be living in part of the country still dealing with a regular 100-degree heat index, a sign of cooler weather and the eventual changing of the seasons will happen today when the first regular-season games of the collegiate hockey season will be played.

It’s like football’s equivalent of Week 0. Both non-conference games on the Opening Day schedule are on the women’s side, and part of a two-game weekeend series. Lindenwood will visit Post, followed by the first game involving a ranked team, RPI at No. 15 Mercyhurst.

It’s the head coaching debut of Max Gavin at Lindenwood after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Boston College, and the two previous seasons at Dartmouth. Before that he was the director of hockey operation for the men’s team at Vermont (2021-22). His roster features players from 12 different countries including junior defenseman Elina Zilliox, who played in the 2026 Olympics for France.

Post is coming off a 11-25-1 season, 10-17-1 in the NEWHA.

As for Mercyhurst, the Lakers went 12-2-1 after January 1 last season and return their top two scorers, and seven of their top nine forwards, six defenders, and junior goaltender Magdalena Luggin. That’s why head coach Michael Sisti’s team is opening the season ranked and considered a challenger to dethrone Penn State atop the AHA.

Meanwhile, RPI went 7-28 last season, 4-18 in the ECAC.

There will also be a pair of exhibitions on Friday: RIT at Penn State, and Concordia (Quebec) at St. Lawrence; followed by a trio on Saturday. UNH will play Maine, Quinnipiac is at Connecticut, and Concordia will visit Vermont on its way back to Canada.

There’s a full slate of women’s games next weekend, Sept. 25-26. The men won’t drop the puck for the first time for another two weeks.

Puck Drop: Friday, September 18, 2026

The IIHF released the schedule for the U18 Men's World Championship 2027 in Duluth, Minn, April 21-May 2. Team USA will open Group A play against Norway on the 21st, face Latvia on the 23rd, Sweden on the 24th and close pool play against Denmark on the 26th. Group B will include Slovakia, Czechia, Canada, Finland and Belarus. The tournament will be played at Amsoil Arena.

New Jersey Devils forward Nick Bjugstad (Minnesota) is expected to miss 4-6 months after suffering a torn left pectoral muscle in training earlier this month.

If you’ve been following the ongoing situation at Arizona State and transfer Matthew Mayich ending up on life support after an intense workout on his day of classes, there were two free stories Thursday that should be checked out. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman talked to his parents and family, with his father John saying about the other Sun Devils players: “I feel for them. I don't want them to feel guilty at all that this happened. They had to see some ugly stuff, and I just hope they can push through. I wish them nothing but the best.” Meanwhile, The Athletic did a profile on Arizona State coach Greg Powers and how he went from calling his team “soft” to bringing in a former Green Beret to lead the workout.

On the first day of Blues training camp, a Matthew Mayich jersey hangs on the glass. pic.twitter.com/FmH0hpOMVj
— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) September 17, 2026

Countdown to the 2026-27 Season

Men … 14 days. Women … 0.

This Date in Hockey History

September 18, 1933: Hall of Fame coach Scott Bowman was born in Montreal.

September 18, 1950: Hall of Fame center Darryl Sittler was born in Kitchener, Ontario.

September 18, 1953: Michigan center Angelo Moretto was born in Toronto.

September 18, 1956: Hall of Fame center Peter Šťastný was born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.

September 18, 1966: Minnesota left wing Tom Chorske, who played 11 seasons in the NHL, was born in Minneapolis.

September 18, 1967: The Los Angeles Kings played their first preseason game, losing to the Minnesota North Stars 7-3 in Guelph, Ontario.

September 18. 1971: Michigan left winger Cam Stewart was born in Kitchener, Ontario.

September 18, 1972: The New York Islanders played their first preseason game, losing 4-1 to the Atlanta Flames.

September 18, 1982: Alabama Huntsville center Jared Ross was born in Huntsville, Ala.

September 18, 1987: Denver center Brock Trotter was born in Brandon, Manitoba.

September 18, 1988: Yale forward Andrew Miller was born in Bloomfield, Hills, Mich.

September 18, 1998: Former Boston University center John Cullen returned to the ice in a preseason game for the Tampa Bay Lightning after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and missing an entire season.

September 18, 2009: Former Minnesota forward Phil Kessel was traded by the Boston Bruins to the Toronto Maple Leafs for two first-round draft picks and a second-round selection. Toronto immediately signed him to a five-year contract worth $27 million. Boston used the picks on Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton and Jared Knight.

September 18, 2015: Former Michigan left wing Max Pacioretty was named the team captain of the Montreal Canadiens.

September 18, 2023: Henry Boucha, who played for Team USA three times, and served in the U.S. Army, died in Warroad, Minn. He was 72.

Hockey Quote of the Day

From the Buffalo Sabres’ press conference after training camp opened hours before the Bills debuted Highmark Stadium:

“Keep this short. A man’s gotta tailgate"
Lindy Ruff

We'll Leave You With This ...

Tom Serratore Reflects on 26 Seasons Behind the Beaver Bench#GoBeavers #BeaverTerritory pic.twitter.com/hYVQNeAS3P
— Bemidji State Men’s Hockey (@BSUBeaversMHKY) September 17, 2026

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