Sept. 29, 2026Updated Sept. 30, 2026, 1:48 a.m. ET
The Carolina Hurricanes got their championship rings this week, they raised their Stanley Cup banner on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and they have their first loss of the season.
They did pick up a point as the Florida Panthers and Hurricanes pushed their scoreless tie to overtime in the NHL’s 2026-27 season opener.
But Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scored with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to get a 1-0 win as Florida tries to return to the playoffs after the two-time Stanley Cup champions were crushed by injuries last season.
The Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights also won on Tuesday. Here are the winners and losers from opening night:
WINNERS
Panthers goalie Jacob Markstrom
The question heading into the season was whether the Panthers’ goaltending would be good enough.
They couldn’t work out a deal with two-time Cup and Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky and he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the days leading up to free agency, the Panthers traded for Markstrom and Akira Schmid.
Markstrom, who began his career with the Panthers, was steady in the opener, making 15 saves, including on Carolina’s 4-on-1 break. He matched his shutout total from last season, when he struggled with an .883 save percentage for the New Jersey Devils.
Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup banner raising
The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas last season, so they gave fans the on-ice celebration that they missed. Better yet, they did a Storm Surge, the traditional post-win celebration. The players gathered around the faceoff circle, captain Jordan Staal brought in the Stanley Cup and they did their traditional overhand clap. Then they posed with the banner before it went to the rafters.
Canucks coach Manny Malhotra
He won his NHL debut, beating out the Edmonton Oilers‘ Mike Babcock, who has 700 career wins. It wasn’t pretty. The Canucks blew a 5-2 lead before winning in overtime. Paul Cotter scored twice, and in a positive sign for Vancouver, Elias Pettersson had his first road power-play goal since Jan. 15, 2024.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander
Nylander was the Maple Leafs most consistent player in a season in which their nine-year playoff streak ended. He was again on Tuesday, scoring the first goal of the 2026-27 NHL season and adding another to pull the Maple Leafs close in a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard
Bouchard has never been a finalist for the Norris Trophy, but he will generate some buzz after Tuesday. He’s the first defenseman to get a hat trick on opening night since Hall of Famer Mark Howe in 1980. And he’s the first defenseman ever to open the season with a five-point night.
Boston Bruins forward Fraser Minten
Minten was one of the youngsters who cashed in this summer, signing a seven-year, $50 million extension. He broke a scoreless tie with a wicked shot late in the third period of a victory against the New York Rangers.
LOSERS
Maple Leafs’ newcomers
GM John Chayka was busy remaking the Maple Leafs this summer and fall. Just-acquired Kirill Marchenko had an assist and another opportunity. But defenseman Darren Raddysh was a minus-2. So was No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, who made an ill-advised bank pass off the boards. None of the other newcomers had a point and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had an .875 save percentage.
Hurricanes’ play on Florida’s winning goal
The Hurricanes had the puck deep in the Florida zone late in overtime and allowed the Panthers to come down the ice and set up Forsling’s winner on a one-timer. Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi didn’t like how he gave up a shot from distance and lost an opportunity for the game to go to a shootout. “By my standards, it’s a bad goal,” he said.
New York Rangers’ collapse
The Bruins-Rangers game looked like it might be the second one of the night to be scoreless through regulation. But the Rangers gave up three goals in 75 seconds for the loss. JJ Peterka made a great move through Braden Schneider for the Bruins’ second goal.
Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending
The Oilers thought they solved their goaltending issues by signing Stanley Cup winner Frederik Andersen. But he’s hurt and Tristan Jarry got the start. He gave up six goals on 23 shots.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Bowen Byram
Byram had an inauspicious Blackhawks debut after being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres and given a $12.5 million-a year contract extension to be Chicago’s top defenseman. He was a minus-2, had no shots and had a giveaway on the Golden Knights‘ empy net goal.
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