The 32 things we learned from Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season:

1. The jersey number of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, undoubtedly the biggest story of Week 2 after suffering his third documented concussion in the past two years, casting doubt not only on the Fins’ season but his NFL future. Asked what he said to Tagovailoa, whom he’s very close to, when he exited the field Thursday night, HC Mike McDaniel revealed, “I told him he’s the starting quarterback of his family.”

1a. As for his football family – the one that reached a four-year, $212.4 million extension with Tagovailoa this summer – the Dolphins are 7-10 (including playoffs) without him in the starting lineup since he was their first-round draft pick in 2020.

1b. On a happier No. 1 note – Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray also has that jersey number – he posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating for the first time in his six-year career by throwing for 266 yards and three TDs in a 41-10 blowout of the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

1c. As for the No. 1 team in the NFL? It’s probably still got to be the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs after they squeaked past the Cincinnati Bengals 26-25 on Sunday, but check back Tuesday morning for our weekly power rankings.

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2. The debate for No. 2, not to mention what’s sure to be a heavily shuffled top five, will doubtless include the New Orleans Saints, who are 2-0 – courtesy of a league-high 91 points – after they drubbed the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 on the road.

3. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only one team has scored more points through two games than the 2024 Saints – the 2009 Saints (93), the lone edition in the franchise’s 58-season history to win the Super Bowl incidentally.

4. New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara was Sunday’s star with 180 yards and four TDs from scrimmage, the second time in his eight-year career he’d found the end zone at least that many times in a game.

5. Fun fact: The Saints were also 2-0 last year … on their way to a 9-8 record that fell short of postseason due to tiebreakers that didn’t break New Orleans’ way.

6. And congratulations to Saints LB Demario Davis, who has now started all 100 of his games with the team since signing with New Orleans in 2018. The two-time Pro Bowler had eight tackles in Sunday’s win.

7. Dallas’ loss snapped a 16-game regular-season winning streak at AT&T Stadium.

8. But the manner of the Cowboys’ collapse is surely what’s going to fuel further debates about their viability in 2024 after what largely felt like a botched offseason.

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9. Of course New Orleans isn’t the only (surprise?) 2-0 club – one of six (Bills, Buccaneers, Vikings, Seahawks and Texans) emerging with that mark in battles of 1-0 teams – the most in Week 2 since the merger.

10. Mike Macdonald, 37, got the best of the New England Patriots’ Jerod Mayo, 38, Sunday in a showdown of the league’s youngest coaches. Macdonald becomes the first Seattle coach to ever start his tenure with consecutive wins.

11. So much for “Burrowhead.” After losing their first three games to Joe Burrow’s Bengals (including playoffs) since the start of the 2021 season, the Chiefs have won their past three. None of the six matchups has been decided by more than one score.

12. On the flip side, six Week 2 games also featured matchups of 0-1 squads … and the Colts, Giants, Jaguars, Rams, Ravens and Titans are now all among the league’s 0-2 outfits – which means an 11.5% shot of reaching postseason based on what’s occurred since 1990.

13. After yet another of their patented fourth-quarter collapses – against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders of all teams – Baltimore is 0-2 for the first time in its tenure under QB Lamar Jackson, who was drafted in 2018.

14. Jackson becomes the first reigning MVP to start 0-2 since Kurt Warner’s St. Louis Rams stumbled to two straight losses out of the gate in 2002.

15. The New York Jets evened out their flight path with a 24-17 win at Tennessee thanks to major contributions from the NFL’s oldest and youngest players.

15a. NYJ QB Aaron Rodgers, 40, threw a pair of touchdown passes, while rookie RB Braelon Allen, 20, scored twice – including on a 12-yard pass from Rodgers. Allen is the youngest player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to reach the end zone.

16. But let’s acknowledge the assist the Jets got from Titans QB Will Levis, who ‘really irritated’ his head coach, Brian Callahan, with his mistake-laden play.

17. After registering 4½ sacks Sunday, Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson is now on pace to collect 47 this season. (That would be a record. It’s also, well, early.) Still, there were some smart folks who prognosticated Hutchinson as the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

17a. Hutchinson also became the fourth player since 1982, when the sack became an official statistic, to have games of at least three sacks in each of his first three seasons.

18. Of course, the Lions lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, HC Dan Campbell saying the defeat was “100 percent on me” due to a sequence at the end of the first half when a penalty for too many men on the field caused the clock to expire and cost Detroit a shot to score. But whatever was lost by a 1-1 team, little doubt ever-accountable Campbell earned more points from a locker room that already adored him.

19. Just when you thought the Green Bay Packers might regurgitate all that progress made in 2023 following QB Jordan Love’s knee injury, well … turns out a little vomit can help lead to a big victory.

20. It didn’t hurt that Pack QB2 Malik Willis, now in his third season, also threw his first career TD pass in a 16-10 victory over error-prone Indianapolis.

21. After catching one pass in his NFL debut, Cards WR Marvin Harrison Jr. needed one quarter to rack up four receptions for 130 yards and two scores in the runaway against the Rams.

22. It’s not necessarily pretty, but no way the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to immediately pivot to veteran QB Russell Wilson and his problematic calf after getting off to workmanlike 2-0 start behind Justin Fields and a dominant defense … not that Fields wasn’t always the better choice.

23. Still, tough watch. The Steelers and Denver Broncos combined for as many points (19) as penalties in Pittsburgh’s 13-6 victory.

24. Is it really that unreasonable to expect a punter to have a legitimate chance of converting PATs and field goals if a team’s regular kicker goes down? The New York Giants are the latest example of “apparently not” after Graham Gano injured a hamstring on Sunday’s opening kickoff. P Jamie Gillan missed his only extra-point try, and the Giants otherwise just ditched kicking as an option.

25. Meanwhile, new Washington Commanders K Austin Seibert drilled all seven of field-goal tries – the difference in a 21-18 victory over the G-Men.

26. Hard to figure why new Giants RB Devin Singletary chose to wear predecessor Saquon Barkley’s No. 26. Singletary rushed for 95 yards and a TD in Sunday’s loss … but the image of him going into the end zone almost feels like an unnecessary troll of the team’s fan base.

26a. If that wasn’t bad enough for Giants fans, they’ll get to see Barkley in prime time − again – Monday, when his Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons.

27. Arizona K Matt Prater’s 57-yard bomb Sunday was his 81st career field goal from beyond 50 yards, extending his own all-time record.

28. The consistency of Prater, 40, from way downtown should probably be further appreciated given the Ravens’ Justin Tucker, almost universally regarded as the premier kicker of his era, is now 1-for-7 from beyond 50 since the start of the 2023 season.

29. Tucker was wide left from 56 yards Sunday, another component of Baltimore’s stunning home loss to Las Vegas, which clearly had the better kicker on this day – Daniel Carlson drilling off four of his FGAs, including two beyond 50 yards.

30. Minnesota WR Justin Jefferson galloped for a 97-yard TD in his team’s 23-17 upset of the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. Per Next Gen Stats, Jefferson actually traveled 127.5 yards on the play, the most by a player on an offensive TD since NGS initiated in 2016.

31. Uniform note of the week: The Jets’ win occurred in their green jerseys and throwback (now permanent) logo, the first time they’d worn that uniform combination in almost exactly 35 years.

31a. The Broncos debuted their new blue pants Sunday. Didn’t help.

32. Very premature MVP vote goes to … Kamara. He already has five TDs this season – after averaging five during the 2022 and ’23 campaigns – and 290 yards from scrimmage.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

The Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup pegs the Atlanta Falcons against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons come into the week off an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, the Eagles kicked off their season with an impressive 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers.

It’s early in the season to consider this game a ‘must-win,’ but the Falcons could be in that position if history is any indication. Over the previous five seasons, 41 teams have started 0-2 and only two made the playoffs. Unfortunately, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has struggled in primetime games throughout his career.

Conversely, with the Dallas Cowboys losing to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, the Eagles can make an early statement as the team to beat in the NFC East.

Eagles vs. Falcons matchups to watch

When Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in March, NFL fans were excited about the veteran signal-caller joining forces with a young trio of playmakers in Atlanta: Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts. However, the breakout did not occur in Week 1. London and Pitts combined for just five receptions and 41 yards against the Steelers.

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With a Week 3 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon, the Falcons should play with a sense of urgency out of the gate. Last season, the Eagles pass defense struggled to slow down opposing wide receivers. Philadelphia allowed the most receptions and second-most yards and touchdowns to opposing receivers. During Week 1, the Eagles allowed Christian Watson and Jayden Reed to score.

Philadelphia invested heavily in the secondary in the draft, selecting Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Even with veterans Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson patrolling the field, the Eagles’ secondary is its biggest weakness. After Week 1, head coach Raheem Morris said, ‘We didn’t get the ball to Drake enough.’ London is in a good spot to bounce back Monday night.

The Eagles failed to make any noise last postseason, but don’t let that distract you from the fact they were 10-1 with the best record in the NFL heading into December. Injuries to key playmakers significantly impacted the Eagles’ collapse. One of those injured stars was All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown.

On Saturday, the Eagles announced Brown will miss this game after injuring a hamstring during practice late in the week. As a result, former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith will be tasked with leading the Eagles receivers against Atlanta. How new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will utilize Smith with Brown out remains to be seen.

Of 40 snaps in the Eagles opener, Smith led all receivers with 26 snaps from the slot, and Brown was second with nine. This is significant because the last two primary slot receivers in Moore’s offenses were Keenan Allen in 2023 and CeeDee Lamb in 2022. Last season, Smith ran out of the slot on 32.4% of plays.

On his perimeter routes, he will see coverage from A.J. Terrell, and in the slot he will have an advantageous matchup with Dee Alford. Atlanta played plenty of zone in Week 1 under new head coach Raheem Morris. The last time Smith played without Brown was in the Wild Card game against the Buccaneers in January. He led the team with eight receptions for 148 yards.

Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson square off

Philadelphia acquired superstar running back Saquon Barkley during the offseason. They signed the former No. 2 overall pick after the division rival, New York Giants, failed to bring him back. Barkley immediately displayed his electric talent, scoring three touchdowns and totaling 132 yards in Week 1. He runs behind the Eagles offensive line, which has the second-most rushing yards before contact over the previous three seasons. Even with Jason Kelce retired, Barkley is set up for a career year.

Atlanta has a generational back, too. Bijan Robinson is the spearhead of the Falcons’ offense. The second-year running back played a career-high 90% of snaps Week 1. The Eagles’ run defense has been a strength, but look for Robinson to impact the passing game. He ran a route on 22 of 28 passing plays Week 1.

Robinson was selected eigth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is the highest selected running back since Barkley in 2018. He runs behind an offensive line that struggled with pass blocking against the Steelers and T.J. Watt but excelled with run blocking Week 1.

Keys to MNF

In Week 1, Atlanta’s offense was in shotgun or pistol formation on 96% of their snaps. According to Next Gen Stats, Cousins had never taken more than 10 snaps out of pistol formation in a game throughout his first 13 seasons in the NFL.
In Saquon Barkley’s Eagles debut, he scored three touchdowns. It was Barkley’s second career three-touchdown performance, with the first coming back in Week 11 of his rookie season in 2018.
Last week, Kyle Pitts was the only tight end in the NFL to run a route on 100% of his team’s passing plays.

How to watch Eagles vs. Falcons tonight

TV Channel: ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
Live stream: ESPN+ | Fubo

ESPN and ABC will broadcast ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 2 and throughout the 2024 NFL season.

Peyton and Eli Manning will host the ‘ManningCast’ on ESPN2 this week.

Cord-cutters will be able to watch the game using either ESPN+—ESPN’s streaming app, which can be bundled with Hulu and Disney+—or Fubo, which comes with a free trial.

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The New York Yankees have a three-game lead with 12 to play. And with every passing day, it looks likelier they’ll finish the season atop the American League East.

While they’ve failed to take full advantage of the offensively struggling team in their rear-view mirror, the Yankees have done just enough to maintain breathing room in the American League East – and yes, so much of it is due to Aaron Judge.

Judge broke a 16-game homerless streak in authoritative fashion, hitting a game-changing grand slam Friday, and another long ball Sunday to essentially lift New York to a series victory over the Boston Red Sox. The wins preserved the Yankees’ breathing room against the struggling Baltimore Orioles – and also nudged them to No. 2 in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings

A look at the updated rankings:

1. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

Magic number to win NL East down to six.

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2. New York Yankees (+1)

Aaron Judge notches 133rd RBI, a career high. (Oh, that came on his 53rd homer).

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (-2)

Tyler Glasnow officially done for year. October will be an adventure.

4. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

Respect: At least 86 wins in last seven full seasons.

5. Cleveland Guardians (+1)

Cade Smith’s 2.4 WAR among relievers equaled only by Mason Miller.

6. San Diego Padres (+1)

They’re 20 games over .500 for the first time since 2010.

7. Baltimore Orioles (-2)

Scored just 21 runs in their last 10 games, and a three-game deficit in East looks huge.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)

Ryne Nelson, their best pitcher of late, heads to IL with shoulder inflammation.

9. Kansas City Royals (+2)

Clinch first winning season since 2015. Hey, what happened that year?

10. Atlanta Braves (-)

Chris Sale just might win the NL pitching triple crown.

11. Houston Astros (-2)

Jason Heyward has .859 OPS in 14 games as an Astro.

12. New York Mets (-)

Good vibes finally sullied: Francisco Lindor to undergo MRI on back.

13. Minnesota Twins (-)

Uh, they really need to be worrying about the Tigers.

14. Detroit Tigers (-)

One more win equals last year’s total.

15. Chicago Cubs (-1)

Michael Busch slugs four homers on road trip.

16. Seattle Mariners (-)

Randy Arozarena notches his fourth consecutive 20-20 season.

17. Boston Red Sox (-)

Have lost four of last six season series against Yankees.

18. St. Louis Cardinals (-)

Swept in Toronto, never a good look.

19. Cincinnati Reds (+3)

Elly De La Cruz notches 14th 200-strikeout season in big league history.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

4-6 road trip to Baltimore, Philly and Cleveland nothing to be ashamed of.

21. San Francisco Giants (-2)

Heliot Ramos makes history with first opposite-field splash hit.

22. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)

Bowden Francis haunted again by near no-hitter.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

Billy Cook, a trade-deadline afterthought, making solid impact in outfield.

24. Texas Rangers (-3)

Have been one-hit three times this season.

25. Washington Nationals (-)

James Wood has first two-homer day and got his money’s worth – 435- and 426-foot shots.

26. Oakland Athletics (-)

Officially won’t lose 100 games this season.

27. Los Angeles Angels (-)

Reliever Ben Joyce shut down for season with shoulder inflammation.

28. Colorado Rockies (+1)

Antonio Senzatela makes first start since May 2023 on Monday.

29. Miami Marlins (-1)

Want some not-totally-grim news? Injured ace Sandy Alcantara may soon face live batters.

30. Chicago White Sox

Can reach – or exceed – the 120-loss mark this weekend in San Diego.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One of Joe Burrow’s biggest plays during the dramatic showdown at Arrowhead Stadium didn’t show up on the stat sheet.  

He may have saved his star receiver from getting tossed from the game. 

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback quickly stepped in as Ja’Marr Chase erupted early in the fourth quarter with an in-your-face protest of the officiating that drew a 15-yard penalty from referee Alex Kemp for unsportsmanlike conduct. Had Burrow not corralled Chase to usher him from the scene, it’s possible the receiver would have been ejected as he began to circle back to apparently give Kemp more feedback. 

“Just trying to de-escalate the situation,” Burrow said of his role in the exchange. 

The quarterback’s peacemaker move helped. Kemp said that Chase questioned whether he was brought down by an illegal hip-drop tackle on a play earlier on the drive before the penalty, and was told that the officials didn’t feel it was an illegal tackle. On the second-down play that led to penalty, replays showed that Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie grasped Chase’s facemask as he brought him to the turf. And the tackle might have also warranted a closer look as it related to the new hip-drop ban.  

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Asked by a pool reporter representing the Professional Football Writers of America about why Chase was flagged for misconduct, Kemp said: “It’s pretty clear-cut. It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official. That’s all it was. And there was really no interpretation. I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used – just abusive language.” 

Burrow: “I’m not quite sure what was said.” 

And Bengals coach Zac Taylor was still short on pertinent facts. 

“I’m not in the middle of it,” Taylor said. “So, I couldn’t see everything that was said or done.” 

The pool reporter, Ben Baby of ESPN, asked Kemp to explain how it is determined that a player has crossed the line when protesting officiating matters. 

“The simple answer is, profanity used by grown men versus direct, personal abusive language toward a game official,” Kemp said. “That’s the line. When that line gets crossed, we simply can’t let that happen in pro football.”  

Chase wouldn’t comment on the incident to a group of reporters gathered at his locker, yet he acknowledged to USA TODAY Sports after the pack dispersed that he had issues with the apparent facemask and with what he suspected to be a hip-drop tackle. 

Was it the facemask or a hip-drop? 

“Either-or,” Chase said. 

When the NFL instituted the ban on the swivel hip-drop tackle during the spring as a safety measure, there was significant pushback from some players, coaches and even the NFL Players Association about how the technique would be officiated. The competition committee conceded there would be challenges with making judgements in real time, contending that it was more likely that warnings and fines would come after plays are reviewed during week. 

If Chase has a say (or, well, more of a say), his case begs for further review. 

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LANDOVER, Md. – While lying face-up on the field of the newly renamed Northwest Stadium, Jayden Daniels pointed to his chest to tell the Washington Commanders home crowd that he was OK, although he appeared to be in quite a bit of pain.  

The rookie quarterback had been crunched by two New York Giants defenders, one of whom sumo-smashed the 210-pound signal-caller into the spot-filled grass halfway through the second quarter. Fans held their breath while Daniels tried to find his own; he missed one play and jogged back onto the field to relieved applause.  

Daniels and the Commanders offense did not find the end zone but the No. 2 overall pick in the draft nonetheless earned the first win of his career Sunday in a 21-18 victory over the Giants. 

“You get the wind knocked out of you a couple times,” Daniels said after the win, “you got to catch your breath.”  

The risks and rewards of having a quarterback with Daniels’ frame combined with his propensity to run – and refusal to slide – were on full display, from the worrisome moments during that third offensive possession of the game to the 23-year-old leading a game-winning drive that ended with Austin Seibert’s seventh field goal of the day as time expired. 

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Daniels finished 23-of-29 with 226 passing yards and a 99.1 rating. He rushed 10 times for 44 yards and also took five sacks, but he avoided at least one more in the first half with a spin move in the backfield that turned into a gain. But Daniels took a potentially late hit after stepping out of bounds from Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke. 

“You got to pick and choose your spots,” Daniels said. “You go out there, manage the game, play football and go ahead and make plays.” 

As a rookie, Daniels said, he doesn’t expect those plays to yield flags. 

Washington’s coaching staff faced ridicule after Week 1 for the 16 carries Daniels logged in a 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

“I wouldn’t say ‘concerned,’” Quinn said after Daniels took more hits in Week 2. “It’s obviously going to be a story that we’re going to have to keep working through. We don’t want the hits.” 

During the week, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said the first game of any quarterback’s career will have him in “survival mode, fight or flight.” Twice in his second game, Daniels lost his helmet. 

“I’ve had a bunch of guys who could run and extend plays, and you walk that line of when to pull back and when not to,” said Kingsbury, who coached Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals for four seasons. “And I think as he plays, he’ll get a better comfort level and I’ll get a better feel for him, and we’ll just progress together.

“He does a great job finding the soft spot, finding out of bounds. But we understand he has to take care of himself and we want him to continue to grow and you can’t do that if you’re banged up on the sideline.” 

On Sunday, Quinn said there were four called plays with quarterback-run options. Quinn also said Daniels audibled into one such play. The coaching staff will review the game tape and assess the quarterback runs like it did after last week. 

Regardless, Daniels’ toughness has already made an impression on his teammates. 

“He’s only a rookie,” said running back Brian Robinson, who rushed 17 times for 133 yards. “There’s only so much I even expect him to be able to do. For him to put his body on the line multiple times and go all out to get the first down, I’m gonna be there to pick him up.” 

Daniels is the type of quarterback Robinson wants to play alongside. Robinson hasn’t seen Daniels’ energy decrease ever, and the rookie has been positive in critical moments – the game-winning drive against New York the latest example. 

“He hasn’t been fazed, not one time, by anything negative that happens,” Robinson said. 

The big play of the final drive came down to Daniels’ right arm, however. Out of the two-minute warning and with the game tied at 18, the Commanders ran a three-man concept on the left side of the formation. Daniels took a shotgun snap on second-and-10 and looked that way, but he went to the lone receiver on the other side. Noah Brown ran an in-cut, similar to a route on which he and Daniels connected on during the game’s first drive. The 34-yard gain had the Commanders well on their way to Seibert’s game-winner. 

“That’s what you live for, those moments,” Daniels said. “That’s when names get made in this league.”

The NHL will start gearing up for the 2024-25 regular season with the Florida Panthers trying to defend their first championship after making two consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

That follows a busy offseason in which nine coaches were hired or had their interim tags removed, prominent goalies were traded and free agents found new homes.

NHL rookie tournaments were held last weekend and training camps open on Wednesday. preseason games will start on Sept. 21. The regular season will start in Europe on Oct. 4 and in North America on Oct. 8.

Here are the key dates for the NHL’s 2024-25 regular season:

When is the first day of the NHL season?

The 2024-25 NHL regular season will start in Europe on Oct. 4-5 when the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres play on back-to-back nights in Prague, Czechia.

When is the first day of the NHL season in North America?

The 2024-25 NHL regular season will start in North America with three games on Oct. 8. Teams must submit their opening day rosters by 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 7.

When do the Florida Panthers raise their Stanley Cup banner?

The defending champions’ home opener is Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET), the team they knocked out in the playoffs the past two seasons.

When is the Utah Hockey Club’s home opener?

The Salt Lake City-based team, which acquired the assets of the Arizona Coyotes, also is playing on Oct. 8 (10 p.m. ET), hosting rookie of the year Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.

The St. Louis Blues visit the Seattle Kraken in the early game on Oct. 8 (4:30 p.m. ET). All games will be broadcast on ESPN.

What day will all NHL teams be in action?

All 32 teams are playing on Oct. 22 in the Frozen Fury. Just as with last season, the start times of this year’s 16 games will be staggered every 15 to 30 minutes between 6 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET.

When is the NHL’s second set of games in Europe?

The Dallas Stars and Panthers will play in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2.

When is the Hockey Hall of Fame induction?

The Hall of Fame Game is Nov. 8 in Toronto between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. The Class of 2024’s induction is Nov. 11 in Toronto.

When is the Stanley Cup Final rematch?

The runner-up Edmonton Oilers will host the champion Panthers on Dec. 16. The teams also will play on Feb. 27 in Sunrise, Florida.

When is the holiday roster freeze?

The holiday roster freeze on trades and waivers will be Dec. 20-27. No games or practices will be held on Dec. 24-26. Games resume on Dec. 27 and transactions can resume at 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 28.

When is the Winter Classic?

The Winter Classic will be held on Dec. 31 (5 p.m. ET) at Chicago’s Wrigley Field between the Blackhawks and Blues. The Winter Classic was also played at the Chicago Cubs’ stadium in 2009.

When is the NHL All-Star Game?

There is no All-Star Game this season. It will be replaced by the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will serve as an appetizer for NHL players’ return to the Olympics at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

When is the 4 Nations Face-Off?

It will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Boston and Montreal and will feature NHL players from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland. Each country has named its first six players and the rest will be announced from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

When is the NHL’s second outdoor game?

The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Red Wings at Ohio Stadium, home of Ohio State’s football team, on March 1.

When is the NHL trade deadline?

The NHL trade deadline is March 7 at 3 p.m. ET.

When does the NHL regular season end?

The regular season is scheduled to end on April 17 with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs begin?

The Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 19. The latest possible day for the Stanley Cup Final to end is June 23.

When is the NHL draft?

The date for the NHL draft is TBA.

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