The New York Islanders are set to open the 2026-27 season on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, Sept. 30.
Last season, the Islanders finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 43-34-5. This season will be the first full season under head coach Peter DeBoer, who was hired in April 2026 for the final four games of the regular season after Patrick Roy was fired.
They’ll face the Toronto Maple Leafs, who opened their season last night with a 3-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens.
Watch Islanders vs. Maple Leafs for free
- When: Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- TV Channel: MSGSN (locally), ESPN+ (out-of-market)
The matchup will be a showcase for the two most recent first-overall NHL draft picks: 2025’s Matthew Schaefer and 2026’s Gavin McKenna. Schaefer begins his second NHL season with the Islanders today after tying the league’s rookie record for goals by a defenseman (23). The reigning Calder Trophy winner for rookie of the year was named an alternate captain by the Islanders earlier this week.
McKenna was held to 0 points in his NHL debut, where he played on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander.
Here’s how to watch the Islanders’ season-opener if you don’t have cable.
Islanders vs. Maple Leafs start time
Puck drop at tonight’s (Sept. 30) Islanders vs. Maple Leafs game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
How to watch Islanders vs. Maple Leafs for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to tune in to tonight’s Islanders game.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes ESPN as part of its 125+ channels.
The most cost-effective way to watch the Islanders without cable is with a subscription to MSG+ via DAZN. An MSG subscription on DAZN includes all live Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Knicks games for those in the NY metro TV market and costs $19.99 for your first month.
Islanders schedule 2026
The NHL has expanded the regular season to 84 games beginning this season. You can check out the full 84-game slate here, but below, we’ve listed out some key matchups, including the Isles’ first game against each Metropolitan Division rival.
- Home opener: Oct. 3 vs. New Jersey Devils, 7:30 p.m. ET (MSG) – get tickets
- Oct. 6 vs. New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Nov. 5 vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET (Disney+, Hulu)
- Nov. 17 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Nov. 28 vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Dec. 30 vs. Washington Capitals, 4 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Jan. 13 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV)
- Final regular season game: April 10 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 5 p.m. ET (MSG)
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
