How many games are on the NHL schedule?

If you’re new to hockey, you may wonder how many games are on the NHL schedule and how league officials reach that number. In total, each of the NHL’s 32 teams plays 82 games, facing the other 31 teams at least twice, something similar to what you’ll see in the MLB and the NBA. 

Now that you know how many games are on the schedule and that you have a nominal idea of how opponents are chosen, let’s dive deeper into the specifics, where we will use the Buffalo Sabres as our example. 

The Sabres play in the Atlantic Division, and they have seven division rivals, five of whom they will play four times and two of whom they will face three times. For the teams they face four times, they’ll have two home and two road games. 

As for the rivals they meet three times; it will be one home game and two road games against one, and two home games and one road game against the other. So, for example, the Sabres schedule would look something like this against their own division - Note that this is only an example and does not reflect the current season. 

• Two home games and two road games vs. Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, and Detroit 
• Two home games and one road game vs. Florida
• One home game and two road games vs. Tampa Bay

Current NHL schedule formula has an unbalanced intra-divisional schedule

As for the non-divisional games, the Sabres would play the eight Metropolitan teams three times, with two home games and one road game against four opponents and one home game and two road games against the other four. Using the example, which, again, does not reflect the current season’s schedule, would look like this:

• Two home games and one road game vs. Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington
• One home game and two road games vs. Carolina, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey

The remaining 32 games come against the Western Conference, with one home and one road outing coming against each of the West’s 16 teams. Once again, let’s check out the example:

• One home and one road game vs. Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Utah, Winnipeg, Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Vancouver, and Vegas. 

So, will the NHL ever consider expanding to 84 games so teams like the Sabres could play each division rival four times? It’s been discussed in the past, but the current collective bargaining agreement currently mandates an 82-game schedule, so unless the NHL and NHL Players Association (NHLPA) agree to a change, expect the 82-game slate to stick around for the foreseeable future.