When Does the 2026/27 Hockey Season Start: League Start Dates and Championship Odds

Hockey fans have plenty to celebrate, as September marks the start of most major hockey championships across Europe and the world. The very first week of autumn brings the opening games in the KHL, Finland and the Champions Hockey League, with even more competitions getting underway later in the month.

In this article, we have collected the start dates for the main hockey leagues of the 2026/27 season, briefly reviewed the leading championship contenders and listed bookmaker odds for the tournament winners. You will also find a calendar of start dates for other national leagues below.

2026/2027 Season Start Dates in the World's Top Hockey Leagues

Liiga (Finland)

Season start date: September 1

Finland's Liiga promises another tight championship race in 2026/27. Reigning champions Tappara enjoyed another successful campaign, winning the 21st league title in club history. Their traditional rival Ilves remains the main challenger from Tampere, while Kärpät, SaiPa and other teams will also be looking to compete for the status of Finland's best club. Another major storyline is how Jokerit will perform after returning to the top flight.

Bookmaker favorites: Tappara (odds 3.68), Ilves (8.40), Jokerit (10.5).

Kontinental Hockey League

Season start date: September 5

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl won the Gagarin Cup for the second year in a row, changed head coach but did not abandon their careful, defense-first style. The rest of the league will now be even more determined to knock the Yaroslavl club off the throne. You can find a detailed preview of the upcoming KHL season in our Blog, where we have also published current outright bets on the tournament.

Bookmaker favorites: Avangard Omsk (odds 5.50), Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (6.25), CSKA Moscow (7.70).

Extraliga (Czech Republic)

Season start date: September 15

The 52-game marathon for each team in the Czech Extraliga begins in mid-September in the 2026/27 season. Dynamo Pardubice are the reigning champions after winning the fourth league title in club history last season. The main challengers to the favorites include Sparta Prague, Ocelari Trinec and Kometa Brno.

Bookmaker favorites: Dynamo Pardubice (odds 2.49), Sparta Prague (4.90), Ocelari Trinec (6.05).

National League (Switzerland)

Season start date: September 15

The Swiss National League should once again be one of the most competitive tournaments in Europe in 2026/27. Bookmakers do not identify a clear favorite, with five teams given a better than 10% chance of winning the trophy. Reigning champions Fribourg-Gotteron begin their title defense, while regular-season winners Davos and Zurich Lions are expected to be among their main challengers. Some clubs will also have to balance two competitions, with ambitions in the Champions Hockey League still very much alive.

Bookmaker favorites: Zurich Lions (odds 4.15), Lausanne (5.25), Davos (5.40).

German Ice Hockey League

Season start date: September 17

The German DEL in 2026/27 will again be shaped by the rivalry between the Berlin-based Eisbären and several challengers, including one of their established rivals, Adler Mannheim. The Berlin club will try to become the first team in DEL history to win four consecutive titles, although they enter the season with a new coach and a significantly changed goaltending unit.

Bookmaker favorites: Eisbären Berlin (odds 3.20), Red Bull Munich (4.20), Ingolstadt (6.00).

SHL (Sweden)

Season start date: September 19

Reigning Swedish SHL champions Skelleftea enter the new season as one of the leading favorites. The team retained a significant part of the roster that lifted the trophy only a few months ago. One of their main rivals is Rögle, who reached the final in two of the last three seasons but fell just short on both occasions.

Bookmaker favorites: Skelleftea (odds 4.95), Brynäs (6.65), Rögle (7.10).

National Hockey League

Season start date: September 29

We promise to publish a separate preview with bets on games from the world's top hockey league before the NHL regular season begins. For now, it is worth noting that bookmakers make the Florida Panthers the leading Stanley Cup favorites. The team struggled badly in the previous campaign because of an extraordinary number of injuries, while there were fewer questions about the quality of their play. We therefore expect an intense battle for the Cup. Reigning trophy holders Carolina Hurricanes are second on the list of favorites.

Bookmaker favorites: Florida Panthers (odds 7.60), Carolina Hurricanes (8.10), Colorado Avalanche (8.10).

When the 2026/2027 Season Starts in Other Hockey Leagues

For current odds, detailed match previews and important statistical trends across hockey competitions, you can always visit the Ice Hockey section on Scores24.