Frozen Frenzy 2026: Panthers at Blue Jackets Lead All 16 NHL Games

For the sixth time in NHL history, all 32 teams will play on the same night, with 16 games on Tuesday. The fourth annual Frozen Frenzy gets underway at 6:00 p.m. ET, with puck drops every 15 minutes through 9:00 p.m., three more games after that, and the last faceoff at 11:00 p.m. It's a long night, and it's the kind of schedule that rewards fans who can flip between screens.

How the night opens

The first puck drops at 6:00 p.m. with the New Jersey Devils visiting the Detroit Red Wings. Fifteen minutes later, the Florida Panthers (2-2-2) open at the Columbus Blue Jackets (2-2-0). Florida enters with two straight losses, the first a home opener against the Minnesota Wild and the second a Monday afternoon game against the Buffalo Sabres. Those two defeats matter more than a typical early-season skid because the Panthers are trying to get their record back to even before the schedule gets heavier.

Head coach Paul Maurice has to manage a lineup without captain Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand. The one piece of good news is Jacob Markström. The veteran goaltender left Monday's game after the first period because something had "tightened up," but Maurice said there was no injury and called it "standard stuff." That's the kind of update a team wants to hear, and it means Florida's net shouldn't be a worry heading into Columbus.

Columbus is the mirror image in a way. The Blue Jackets have alternated wins and losses over four games, and they most recently fell to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Both teams are looking for a rhythm, and this matchup gives each one a chance to build some momentum early in a crowded night.

The rest of the slate

Once the Panthers and Blue Jackets drop the puck, the Buffalo Sabres (3-3-0) face the Montreal Canadiens (2-2-1) at 6:30 p.m. Florida's last opponent sets up a Canadiens game that will be worth watching for the Sabres' response. At 6:45 p.m., Alex Ovechkin, who just scored his 930th goal, makes his first appearance against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (5-1-1). Ovechkin's new milestone and Carolina's strong start make this one of the most intriguing matchups of the early window.

The Seattle Kraken (4-2-0) visit the Philadelphia Flyers (0-5-2) at 7:00 p.m., and the Flyers are still searching for their first win of the season. Later, the Calgary Flames (0-5-0), who haven't earned a point yet, take on the Anaheim Ducks (4-1-0) at 9:45 p.m. Calgary will be looking for a result after an 0-5 start, and this kind of game can change a team's confidence quickly.

The late-evening block is loaded. The Colorado Avalanche (3-2-0) visit the Dallas Stars (2-2-1) at 8:30 p.m. in a Central Division matchup that stands out on the card. The Edmonton Oilers (4-0-1) visit the Los Angeles Kings (0-2-2) at 10:30 p.m., and the night closes with the Boston Bruins (4-2-0) facing the San Jose Sharks (3-2-0) at 11:00 p.m.

Where to watch

ESPN will broadcast a triple-header starting with the Devils and Red Wings, then the Avalanche and Stars, and finishing with the Bruins and Sharks. ESPN2, Disney+ and the ESPN app will carry the rest of the games. Viewers in Canada can watch the three ESPN broadcasts on Sportsnet+, along with regional coverage of the Canadiens (TSN2, RDS), Ottawa (TSN5, RDS1), Toronto Maple Leafs (TSN4), Winnipeg Jets (TSN3), Flames (SNW), Edmonton Oilers (SN1) and Vancouver Canucks (SNP).

2026 NHL Frozen Frenzy schedule

(All times Eastern Daylight Time)

• 6:00 p.m. – New Jersey Devils (2-3-0) at Detroit Red Wings (1-3-1)
• 6:15 p.m. – Florida Panthers (2-2-2) at Columbus Blue Jackets (2-2-0)
• 6:30 p.m. – Buffalo Sabres (3-3-0) at Montreal Canadiens (2-2-1)
• 6:45 p.m. – Washington Capitals (3-2-0) at Carolina Hurricanes (5-1-1)
• 7:00 p.m. – Seattle Kraken (4-2-0) at Philadelphia Flyers (0-5-2)
• 7:15 p.m. – Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1-0) at New York Rangers (5-2-0)
• 7:30 p.m. – St. Louis Blues (2-2-1) at Ottawa (5-1-0)
• 7:45 p.m. – Vancouver Canucks (2-5-0) at New York Islanders (2-3-0)
• 8:00 p.m. – Pittsburgh Penguins (3-2-1) at Chicago Blackhawks (1-5-0)
• 8:15 p.m. – Minnesota Wild (4-1-1) at Winnipeg Jets (3-1-1)
• 8:30 p.m. – Colorado Avalanche (3-2-0) at Dallas Stars (2-2-1)
• 8:45 p.m. – Vegas Golden Knights (5-2-0) at Nashville Predators (2-1-2)
• 9:00 p.m. – Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-1) at Utah Mammoth (4-2-0)
• 9:45 p.m. – Calgary Flames (0-5-0) at Anaheim Ducks (4-1-0)
• 10:30 p.m. – Edmonton Oilers (4-0-1) at Los Angeles Kings (0-2-2)
• 11:00 p.m. – Boston Bruins (4-2-0) at San Jose Sharks (3-2-0)

When is the next Frozen Frenzy?

The final day of the 2026-27 regular season, Saturday, April 10, 2027, will again feature all 32 teams, including the Panthers hosting the Hurricanes at 6:00 p.m.

Florida's record on all-32-team days

The Panthers are 3-2-0 on days when all 32 NHL teams are in action. Here's how those games have gone:

• April 8, 2023 – defeated the Capitals 4-2 on the road
• October 24, 2023 – defeated the Sharks 3-1 at home
• October 22, 2024 – lost to the Wild 5-1 at home
• October 11, 2025 – defeated the Senators 6-2 at home
• October 28, 2025 – lost to the Ducks 3-2 at home

That's a solid track record for a team that often plays its best hockey in the bigger slates. For Florida, the real test Tuesday is simpler: the Panthers need to stop the slide before it becomes a habit, and a road game in Columbus against a team that has been up and down is exactly where that can start.