Is it October yet?

The Winnipeg Jets will open the 2025-26 NHL season the same way their last campaign ended — facing the Dallas Stars.

The Central Division rivals will clash in a playoff rematch on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Canada Life Centre, which is two days after the league gets going in other markets. Dallas eliminated Winnipeg in six games this past spring, ending the Jets’ Stanley Cup hopes in the second round.

Winnipeg kicks off the new hockey year with a home-heavy schedule, playing eight of their first 12 games at the downtown rink. That stretch will be followed by a season-long six-game road trip through the Pacific Division, beginning Nov. 4 in Los Angeles and concluding Nov. 13 in Seattle. That marks the start of a gruelling run where the Jets will play 11 of 14 games on the road.

The team’s longest homestand runs from March 3 to March 17, starting with the Chicago Blackhawks and wrapping up with the Nashville Predators. Six other teams will visit Winnipeg during that stretch.

In total, the Jets have nine sets of back-to-back games this season — four exclusively on the road, three at home, and two with a home-and-away split.

Saturdays will be the busiest day on the calendar, with Winnipeg playing 18 games, including 10 at home. Three of those will be afternoon matinees. The Jets also have three Sunday afternoon games scheduled.

Divisional play includes 26 games — four each against Dallas, Chicago, Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis, and three against Utah and Nashville. Winnipeg will face all 16 Eastern Conference teams twice, once at home and once on the road, and play the eight Pacific Division teams three times each to round out the schedule.

Other notable games on the calendar include:

• Nov. 1: Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Canada Life Centre — and possibly former first-rounder Rutger McGroarty.
• Nov. 21: Nikolaj Ehlers returns with the Carolina Hurricanes for their lone visit of the season.
• Dec. 31: The Jets ring in the new year on the road against Mason Appleton and the Detroit Red Wings.
• Jan. 17: The Toronto Maple Leafs and their legion of fans invade Winnipeg for a Saturday Hockey Night in Canada clash.
• Jan. 19: New Jets centre Jonathan Toews returns to Chicago to face the only other NHL team he’s played for in his decorated career.
• Jan. 20: St. Louis returns to Winnipeg for the first time since the “Manitoba Miracle.”
• Jan. 22: Paul Maurice and the two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers come to town.
• Feb. 4: Patrik Laine and the Montreal Canadiens visit in the final game before the Olympic break.
• Feb. 5-24: The NHL schedule pauses as the focus shifts to the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.
• Apr. 16: Winnipeg wraps up the regular season at home against San Jose.

The NHL’s national broadcast schedule will be announced later this summer, with most Jets games airing on TSN3 and additional coverage split between Rogers Sportsnet and Amazon Prime. All 82 games will be carried on 680 CJOB radio and simulcast on Power 97.

Training camp opens Sept. 17, with six preseason games scheduled between Sept. 21 and Oct. 3.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg