NY Islanders' Opponent for 2026-27 Season Opener Revealed

The New York Islanders now know who they will be facing to open up the season.

Feb 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New York Islanders logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the third period at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the offseason continuing on, the New York Islanders will now know who they will be facing in their season-opener. 

Coming off a strong campaign last year, the Islanders will be hoping to be a bit better this season and be able to make the playoffs. However, the offseason for the team was a bit uninspiring, and not too many significant moves were made. 

New York is seemingly focusing a bit more on the future and wants to create a better cap situation going forward. As of now, the team is expected to have about $40 million next summer to use, and that will provide them with a lot of flexibility. 

Furthermore, with a very deep and talented prospect group, development of young players for the team will be key as well. This is a group that in a couple of years could be really good, and that will be exciting for the fanbase to watch. 

Now, with the new season starting up at the end of September and the campaign moving to 84 games, the Islanders now have their full schedule and know who they will be opening up against.

Islanders Open on the Road Against Toronto Maple Leafs 

The #Isles 2026-27 Schedule is HERE! 🗓️ 
 
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— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 16, 2026

While the home opener for New York was announced on Wednesday and the Islanders know they will be facing the New Jersey Devils at UBS Arena, with that game being on October 3rd. There was an expectation that when the schedule was released, they would be playing at least one more game beforehand. 

That expectation has become a reality, and the team will be opening up against the Toronto Maple Leafs on the road. With the Islanders facing the Maple Leafs, that will mean that the team will be seeing their former captain, John Tavares, to open up the year. 

Furthermore, since Toronto won the NHL Draft Lottery, the expectation will be that the first overall pick, Gavin McKenna, will be on the ice as well. 

The Islanders played the Maple Leafs three times last season and were victorious in all of their games. New York will certainly be looking to do the same this year, and getting off to a nice start to the campaign would be nice. 

Games against Toronto always mean a little bit more because of the Tavares situation, but it will be important to set the tone for the season early with a win.