Regular season hockey is coming to September.

The NHL said Wednesday the Avalanche will open their 2026-27 season at Ball Arena on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings at 8 p.m. (TNT). It will be the third time in four seasons the Avalanche and Kings have played each other on opening night.

The teams started their campaigns against each other at Crypto.com Arena last season, with the Avalanche walking away with a 4-1 victory on the road.

It’s the first time since 2022 the Avalanche will start their season at home.

A September start for the NHL is new, but one you should expect to see moving forward. Next season will be the start of the NHL moving to an 84-game schedule, meaning each team will play two more regular-season games than previously. That requires an earlier start to the regular season.

The remainder of the NHL schedule will be released Thursday.

Colorado and Los Angeles met in the first round of the playoffs last spring with the Avalanche sweeping the Kings. The two teams will look a little different on opening night, as the organizations have each made changes this summer. This will also be the first time the Kings open a season without Anze Kopitar in 20 years.