The Puck Drops on the NHL 2021 Season: NBC Sports’ Preview & TV Schedule

Hockey is back. Finally.

The COVID-delayed 2021 NHL season begins Wednesday, January 13, with a triple-header on NBCSN. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins battle Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers (5:30/4:30c); Ryan McDonagh and the Tampa Bay Lightning raise their Stanley Cup banner when they host Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks (8/7c); and Ryan O’Reilly and the St. Louis Blues visit Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche (10:30/9:30c).

While the NHL Winter Classic outdoor game was canceled this year, on February 20-21 the league will play two NHL Outdoors games at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The Bridgestone NHL Outdoors Saturday will feature the Colorado Avalanche vs. the Vegas Golden Knights (3/2c, NBC), and the Honda NHL Outdoors Sunday will feature the Boston Bruins vs. the Philadelphia Flyers (3/2c, NBC).

Each team will play a 56-game schedule and face teams only in its division during the regular season. For this season, the NHL has realigned its divisions to reduce travel and keep Canada’s teams within its national borders.

The top four teams from each division will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

2021 NHL Regular Season Divisions

Scotia NHL North Division: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Honda NHL West Division: Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, St. Louis, Vegas
Discover NHL Central Division: Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay
MassMutual NHL East Division: Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

NHL 2021 TV SCHEDULE ON NBC SPORTS

All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. Additional games in March to be announced.

Wednesday, January 13
5:30 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, NBCSN
8 p.m.: Chicago at Tampa Bay, NBCSN
10:30 p.m.: St. Louis at Colorado, NBCSN

Sunday, January 17
Noon: Washington at Pittsburgh, NBC

Monday, January 18
Noon: Columbus at Detroit, NBCSN
5 p.m.: Boston at N.Y. Islanders, NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: Buffalo at Philadelphia, NBCSN
10 p.m.: Arizona at Vegas, NBCSN

Tuesday, January 19
7 p.m.: Washington at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Wednesday, January 20
7 p.m.: Edmonton at Toronto, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: Minnesota at Anaheim, NBCSN

Thursday, January 21
7 p.m.: Tampa Bay at Columbus, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: Montreal at Vancouver, NBCSN

Sunday, January 24
12:30 p.m.: Detroit at Chicago, NBC

Tuesday, January 26
7 p.m.: N.Y. Islanders at Washington, NBCSN

Wednesday, January 27
7:30 p.m.: Chicago at Nashville, NBCSN

Monday, February 1
7 p.m.: Pittsburgh at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN

Tuesday, February 2
6 p.m.: Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders, NBCSN
8:30 p.m.: Minnesota at Colorado, NBCSN

Wednesday, February 3
5:30pm: Detroit at Tampa Bay, NBCSN
8pm: Boston at Philadelphia, NBCSN
10:30pm: Vegas at San Jose, NBCSN

Sunday, February 7
Noon: Philadelphia at Washington, NBC

Monday, February 8
7 p.m.: Buffalo at Boston, NBCSN

Tuesday, February 9
6 p.m.: Pittsburgh at New Jersey, NBCSN
8:30 p.m.: Tampa Bay at Nashville, NBCSN

Wednesday, February 10
7 p.m.: Boston at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN

Sunday, February 14
3 p.m.: Washington at Pittsburgh, NBC
7 p.m.: Colorado at Vegas, NBCSN

Monday, February 15
7 p.m.: N.Y. Islanders at Buffalo, NBCSN

Tuesday, February 16
7 p.m.: Washington at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Wednesday, February 17
7:30 p.m. Chicago at Detroit, NBCSN
10 p.m.: Winnipeg at Edmonton, NBCSN

Saturday, February 20
3 p.m.: NHL Outdoors: Vegas at Colorado (at Lake Tahoe, Nevada), NBC

Sunday, February 21
3 p.m.: NHL Outdoors: Philadelphia at Boston (at Lake Tahoe, Nevada), NBC
7 p.m.: Florida at Detroit, NBCSN

Tuesday, February 23
7 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Washington, NBCSN

Wednesday, February 24
7 p.m.: N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: Los Angeles at St. Louis, NBCSN

Sunday, February 28
Noon: Boston at N.Y. Rangers, NBC
7 p.m.: Detroit at Chicago, NBCSN

Tuesday, March 2
7 p.m.: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Wednesday, March 3
7 p.m.: Washington at Boston, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: St. Louis at Anaheim, NBCSN

Sunday, March 7
Noon: Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders, NBC
2:30 p.m.: Tampa Bay at Chicago, NBCSN
5 p.m.: New Jersey at Washington, NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: N.Y. Rangers at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Tuesday, March 9
6 p.m.: N.Y. Rangers at Pittsburgh, NBCSN
8:30 p.m.: Chicago at Dallas, NBCSN

Wednesday, March 10
7 p.m.: Vegas at Minnesota, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: Los Angeles at Anaheim, NBCSN

Sunday, March 14
7 p.m.: Los Angeles at Colorado, NBCSN

Monday, March 15
7 p.m.: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN

Tuesday, March 16
7 p.m.: Boston at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Wednesday, March 17
7:30 p.m.: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN
10 p.m.: Edmonton at Calgary, NBCSN

Sunday, March 21
6 p.m.: Vegas at Los Angeles, NBCSN

Monday, March 22
7:30 p.m.: Anaheim at Minnesota, NBCSN

Tuesday, March 23
7 p.m.: New Jersey at Philadelphia, NBCSN

Wednesday, March 24
5:30 p.m.: Anaheim at Minnesota, NBCSN
8 p.m.: Buffalo at Pittsburgh, NBCSN
10:30 p.m.: Los Angeles at San Jose, NBCSN

Sunday, March 28
Noon: N.Y. Rangers at Washington, NBC
3 p.m.: Columbus at Detroit, NBCSN
5:30 p.m.: New Jersey at Boston, NBCSN
8 p.m.: Nashville at Chicago, NBCSN

Monday, March 29
7 p.m.: N.Y. Islanders at Pittsburgh, NBCSN

Tuesday, March 30
7:30 p.m.: Carolina at Chicago, NBCSN

Wednesday, March 31
7:30 p.m.: Arizona at St. Louis, NBCSN
10 p.m.: Los Angeles at Vegas, NBCSN

Sunday, April 4
Noon: Detroit at Tampa Bay, NBC
7 p.m.: Dallas at Carolina, NBCSN

Tuesday, April 6
7 p.m.: Pittsburgh N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN

Wednesday, April 7
5 p.m.: Edmonton at Ottawa, NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: Montreal at Toronto, NBCSN

Tuesday, April 13
7 p.m.: Philadelphia at Washington, NBCSN

Wednesday, April 14
8 p.m.: Vegas at Los Angeles, NBCSN

Saturday, April 17
3 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Buffalo, NBC

Sunday, April 18
Noon: Washington at Boston, NBC
6:30 p.m.: N.Y. Islanders at Philadelphia, NBCSN
9 p.m.: Los Angeles at Colorado, NBCSN

Monday, April 19
7:30 p.m.: Detroit at Dallas, NBCSN

Tuesday, April 20
7 p.m.: Washington at Boston, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: St. Louis at Colorado, NBCSN

Wednesday, April 21
7 p.m.: Nashville at Chicago, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: San Jose at Vegas, NBCSN

Saturday, April 24
3 p.m.: Colorado at St. Louis, NBC

Sunday, April 25
3pm: Boston at Pittsburgh, NBC
7 p.m.: Columbus at Tampa Bay, NBCSN

Monday, April 26
7:30 p.m.: Carolina at Dallas, NBCSN

Tuesday, April 27
7 p.m.: Washington at Philadelphia, NBCSN

Wednesday, April 28
7 p.m.: St. Louis at Minnesota, NBCSN
9:30 p.m.: Colorado at Vegas, NBCSN

Sunday, May 2
3 p.m.: Tampa Bay at Detroit, NBC

Wednesday, May 5
7 p.m.: Washington at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN