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Red Wings' 2026-27 Schedule Has Arrived. Here's What to Know.

The Detroit Red Wing's 2026-27 regular-season schedule includes 28 games against Atlantic division rivals in the NHL's expanded slate of 84 games per team.

Jennifer Streeter

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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The Detroit Red Wings are in for a busy 2026-27 regular-season.

The regular-season schedule for the Red Wings was announced back on July 16, with the NHL having expanded the regular season slate to 84 games for the entirety of the 2026-27 campaign. Detroit will be playing 28 games against Atlantic Division rivals, three games against the eight teams in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division (24 games) and two games against all 16 Western Conference foes (32 games).

Detroit is to also host the Centennial Celebration Game on Nov 18 — which marks the 100th anniversary of the Red Wings first-ever NHL game against the Boston Bruins.

Of the 42 NHL games to be played at Little Caesars Arena, 21 are scheduled for weekends and the Red Wings are to also spend the most time on home ice during the months of October and January, with both months hosting nine matchups.

Red Wings Given Advantage with 2026-27 Schedule

Detroit should relish early home-ice advantage to begin the 2026-27 season, playing seven of their first eight games inside Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings open the 2026-27 campaign with four consecutive home games — starting against the New York Rangers on Oct. 2.

Detroit’s first road game of the year will be an Original Six matchup on Oct. 10 at the Montréal Canadiens.

November poses a challenge for the Red Wings, with the month beginning with a stretch of six of seven away games. The winter overall promises plenty of excitement; Detroit will also host its traditional New Year's Eve matchup on Thursday, Dec. 31, against the defending Stanley Cup champion, the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Red Wings will start February in the midst of a nine-day break, spanning back to Jan. 30 at the Columbus Blue Jackets, due to the NHL All-Star Game.

The final home game of the season is to take place on April 9 when Detroit hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Red Wings' regular-season finale will culminate at KeyBank Center on April 10 — against the Buffalo Sabres.

Detroit's preseason schedule begins on Sept. 21 at the Blue Jackets, and the next chance for fans to catch the Red Wings in action at Little Caesars Arena is on Sept. 24 against Buffalo.

The Red Wings previously concluded their 2025-26 season with an Atlantic Division matchup against the two-time defending Stanley-Cup champion Florida Panthers in a 8-1 loss. Detroit (41-31-10; 92 points) would finish 21-16-4 inside Little Caesars Arena and 20-15-6 on the road last year.

Detroit is currently undergoing a search for a new head of hockey operations.

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Jennifer Streeter
JENNIFER STREETER

Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.

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