FBI's Kash Patel drops two-word message as 2026-27 NHL season draws closer

The 2026-27 NHL season is around the corner. The new season starts Sept. 29, when the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center at 5 p.m. ET. Carolina will also raise its championship banner before the game. Ad FBI Director Kash Patel had a short message after seeing how close the new season is. Patel replied 'Hurry Up' to a post from the Spittin' Chiclets podcast on X, which noted that only 23 days remained until the 2026-27 NHL season begins. Expand Tweet Ad Trending The new season will also bring a few changes, with every team playing 84 regular-season games instead of 82. There will be more Monday matinee games timed for European prime time, giving fans in Europe a chance to watch their favorite teams and NHL stars during their evening hours. The league will also return to Europe for four games in November and December. The Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken will meet in Helsinki on Nov. 12 and 14 as part of the Global Series Finland. The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators will then play in Dusseldorf on Dec. 18 and 20 for the Global Series Germany. Ad The 2026-27 season will also feature three outdoor games. The first comes on Oct. 25, when the Winnipeg Jets host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. The Utah Mammoth will host the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Dec. 31 in the Discover NHL Winter Classic. The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights will then meet at AT&T Stadium on Feb. 20 for the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. Ad NHL's opening night features three games ESPN will carry a tripleheader on opening night in the United States. After the Hurricanes and Panthers face off at 5 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers will visit the Boston Bruins at 8 p.m. The Chicago Blackhawks will then take on the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. ET. The action continues on Sept. 30 with two rivalry games on TNT. The Pittsburgh Penguins will visit the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Kings against the Colorado Avalanche at 10 p.m. Ad All 32 teams will be in action on April 10 for the final day of the regular season. The Stanley Cup Final will air exclusively on TNT in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada. ESPN/ABC, TNT Sports (TNT/HBO Max) and Sportsnet will serve as the league's national broadcast partners for the 2026-27 season, providing coverage throughout the year. × Feedback Why did you not like this content? Clickbait / Misleading Factually Incorrect Hateful or Abusive Baseless Opinion Too Many Ads Other Cancel Submit Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback Wayne Gretzky's wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama