The 2025-26 NHL season now feels a bit closer since the schedule was announced on July 16. Teams across the league took to social media, posting promotional videos of their schedules, which did not disappoint. Here are the top five videos and a look at some noteworthy matches.
5. New Jersey Devils
After being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs last season, the New Jersey Devils are looking to come back with a bang in 2025-26. They made sure that was clear in their schedule release video, which featured their mascot, the NJ Devil, throwing dodgeballs at kids. Each kid who got hit was wearing a jersey from a different NHL team, and the date of the matchup with that team would appear.
Several teams were featured in the video, including the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils will open their regular season on the road against the Hurricanes on Oct. 9. While the video was humorous, it also featured a bit of a teaser. At the end, the NJ Devil removed his head to reveal defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
Hamilton has been at the center of the trade rumors lately, but his appearance has fans wondering if this is confirmation he’ll be back this season. He is the highest-paid player on the roster with an average annual value (AAV) of $9 million. Trading him would free up some valuable cap space; however, the Devils may not be ready to part with their offensive defenseman.
4. Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings enlisted the help of Dan and Chris Powers, hosts of the Empty Netter podcast, and Will Angus and Billy Langdon from Almost Friday TV. In the video, the group is asked to come up with the perfect schedule for the Kings that minimizes travel and team expenses and maximizes their chance of winning the Pacific Division. But, since they don’t know anything about hockey, they asked an A.I. console named ROI to come up with the schedule.
The video poked fun at more than a few teams, including a suggestion to play the Boston Bruins after the trade deadline because “by then they’ll have traded their captain to another team to help them win the Cup.” The Kings were careful not to take any shots at the Edmonton Oilers. When Langdon asks, “When do we play the Oilers?” Powers responds, “We don’t talk about the Oilers”. LA will not meet the Oilers until Jan. 10 in Edmonton.
3. Boston Bruins
Comedian Bill Burr assisted the Boston Bruins with their schedule release in his signature way. He highlighted a few games on the schedule, including the Nov. 11 matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, stating that the Maple Leafs try every year, but they are just “putting rims on a Prius”. On Nov. 28, the Bruins will face the New York Rangers, who, according to Burr, are “good for a Stanley Cup every 85 years.”
.@billburr breaks down this season’s battles😂☠️ pic.twitter.com/7QvQ4XXno5
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 16, 2025
On March 3, Boston will face the Penguins, who Burr called “the big babies of the NHL,” calling out Pittsburgh for being overprotective of captain Sidney Crosby. Thanks to poor goaltending and a lack of scoring, the Bruins fell extremely short last season, but they expect to come back strong in 2025-26.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins chose a hospital theme for their video, capitalizing on the drama series “The Pitt,” which is set in a Pittsburgh hospital. The video features a waiting room full of patients all wearing jerseys from different NHL teams. On the ‘patient’ board, Pittsburgh’s opponents are listed with the date and time of their matchup along with their reason for the visit.
The Bruins were in for an abrasion and bruising, and the comment simply said, “barfight, loud”. The Montreal Canadiens had a bunch of question marks under their reason for visit, and the comment said, “French translator needed”. The video also highlighted Pittsburgh’s games in Sweden against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 14 and 16. The Penguins are in a transitional phase and are not expected to be very good in 2025-26, but with a new head coach, fans will be tracking their progress throughout the season.
1. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets did not disappoint with their schedule release video, which mimicked the show “Jackass”. The video features a host of pranks played on other NHL teams, although Columbus largely targeted their Metropolitan Division rivals.
Related: 3 Trade Destinations for Penguins’ Erik Karlsson
A Maple Leaf player was covered in maple syrup and leaves, while a Florida Panther put on his helmet, which was filled with sand. Stinger, the Blue Jackets’ mascot, got knocked down by a giant wooden hand, while the March 31 matchup versus the Hurricanes flashed on the screen. Columbus narrowly missed the playoffs last season and will be looking for a strong start in 2025-26.
NHL Teams Gearing Up for Next Season
With training camp and the preseason two months away, teams are starting to make their final roster moves, and these schedule release videos were great for drumming up excitement for the upcoming campaign.
