The Panthers’ three-peat chase never really got a fair shot in 2025–2026. A brutal run of injuries derailed Florida after back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Aleksander Barkov missed the entire season after knee surgery, while Matthew Tkachuk missed nearly half the schedule as the Panthers fell outside the playoffs for the first time since 2018–2019.
Rather than stand pat, Florida reloaded. Barkov is back, Brady Tkachuk now joins brother Matthew, and Jacob Markstrom returns to South Florida after Sergei Bobrovsky left for Toronto. The Panthers still look deep and nasty — exactly the kind of team no one wants to face in May and June, or even on a random Tuesday in January.
The viewing setup remains unusually flexible. Fans trying to watch Florida Panthers games can get most local broadcasts free over the air through Scripps Sports or stream them with Panthers Plus, while 15 games move to national ESPN and TNT Sports platforms. The guide below breaks down the full TV schedule and the best options for local, national, and out-of-market coverage.
What channels have Florida Panthers games?
You can watch most Panthers games locally through Scripps Sports affiliates in South Florida. Miami-Dade and Broward viewers can tune to WSFL-TV (The Spot 39), while WHDT (The Spot 9) is an option for those in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast. Locally produced games are also available on cable and satellite or through Panthers Plus.
Florida’s national games will air on ABC, ESPN, and TNT, with streaming exclusives on ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu. Outside the Panthers’ territory, most Scripps broadcasts stream through NHL Power Play in the ESPN app or are available through NHL Center Ice.
Want radio coverage? The Panthers Radio Network is led by 104.3 WQAM in Broward and Miami-Dade, with additional affiliates serving other parts of South Florida.
2026–2027 Florida Panthers TV schedule
Florida’s 2026–2027 schedule features the NHL’s new 84-game format and four meetings with every Atlantic Division rival. That creates four Battle of Florida dates with Tampa Bay. Plus, Brady Tkachuk’s October 21 return to Ottawa and Sergei Bobrovsky’s March 6 return to Sunrise with Toronto add a couple of reunion games with extra bite.
The regular season runs from September 29 through April 10, as highlighted in the table below. We’ll track every matchup, start time, and confirmed broadcast assignment as the season progresses.
NHL - Florida Panthers Schedule
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
Preseason | |||
Sunday, Sept. 20 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Sept. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | NHL Network, Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Sept. 24 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Sept. 26 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
September | |||
Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 5:00 p.m. | ||
October | |||
Thursday, Oct. 1 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Sunday, Oct. 4 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Oct. 6 | 10:00 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Monday, Oct. 12 | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Oct. 13 | 6:15 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Oct. 15 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Oct. 17 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Oct. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Oct. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Sunday, Oct. 25 | 3:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
Friday, Oct. 30 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+, Scripps Sports | |
November | |||
Monday, Nov. 2 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Nov. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Nov. 7 | 12:30 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Sunday, Nov. 8 | 1:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Nov. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
Thursday, Nov. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Nov. 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
At Dallas Stars | Sunday, Nov. 15 | 8:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports |
Tuesday, Nov. 17 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Nov. 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Nov. 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Friday, Nov. 27 | 3:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Nov. 28 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
December | |||
Tuesday, Dec. 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Dec. 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Dec. 5 | 1:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Dec. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Dec. 10 | 7:00 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Dec. 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Monday, Dec. 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Dec. 15 | 7:00 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Dec. 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Monday, Dec. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Dec. 26 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Monday, Dec. 28 | 7:00 p.m. | TBD | |
Wednesday, Dec. 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
January | |||
Friday, Jan. 1 | 2:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Jan. 2 | 1:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Jan. 5 | 8:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Jan. 7 | 8:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Jan. 9 | 10:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Jan. 12 | 9:40 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Jan. 14 | 9:30 p.m. | ||
Saturday, Jan. 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Monday, Jan. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, Jan. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Sunday, Jan. 24 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Jan. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Jan. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
Friday, Jan. 29 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
February | |||
Monday, Feb. 1 | 2:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Feb. 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Friday, Feb. 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Feb. 13 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, Feb. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
Thursday, Feb. 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, Feb. 20 | 5:00 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video, Scripps Sports | |
Sunday, Feb. 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Wednesday, Feb. 24 | 9:30 p.m. | ||
At Utah Mammoth | Friday, Feb. 26 | 9:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports |
Saturday, Feb. 27 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
March | |||
Tuesday, March 2 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, March 4 | 8:30 p.m. | ||
Saturday, March 6 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, March 9 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Friday, March 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Monday, March 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, March 16 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Thursday, March 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, March 20 | 1:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, March 23 | 7:00 p.m. | ||
Thursday, March 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, March 27 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Tuesday, March 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
April | |||
Thursday, April 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, April 3 | 12:30 p.m. | ||
Sunday, April 4 | 4:30 p.m. | ||
Tuesday, April 6 | 7:15 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Friday, April 9 | 7:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports | |
Saturday, April 10 | 6:00 p.m. | Scripps Sports |
Best TV plans for watching the Florida Panthers
Florida gives local fans one of the more flexible viewing setups in the NHL. Most regional games are available free over the air on Scripps Sports stations, while Panthers Plus provides a low-cost streaming alternative. Nationally exclusive games still require the appropriate ESPN or TNT Sports platform.
That makes geography the main deciding factor when choosing the right TV plan. DIRECTV is the strongest national-TV complement, Panthers Plus is the simplest local streaming option, and ESPN Unlimited makes the most sense for Panthers fans living outside South Florida. Here’s how each option fits into the picture.
Best Overall
Florida’s free local TV setup makes DIRECTV more useful as a national complement than a regional centerpiece. The MySports Genre Pack includes ESPN, TNT, truTV, NHL Network, ESPN Unlimited, and local ABC in select markets. You may even get your local Scripps Sports station, though channel availability varies by address. If not, pair MySports with over-the-air Scripps Sports access or Panthers Plus for the local games.
Best for Local Streaming
Panthers Plus is a straightforward option for South Florida cord-cutters. The $69.99 Full Season Pass includes all locally produced Scripps Sports Panthers broadcasts, Scripps pregame coverage for national games, and first-round playoff coverage if Florida qualifies. National exclusives still require separate access to ESPN and TNT Sports platforms.
Best for Out-of-Market Fans
For Panthers fans outside the team’s broadcast territory, ESPN Unlimited combines NHL Power Play with the broader ESPN lineup. NHL Power Play carries most out-of-market Scripps broadcasts, while Unlimited also covers Florida’s ESPN and ABC national assignments. That said, if you already get ESPN, ABC, and TNT through another TV provider, you can always opt for the lower-tier ESPN Select plan. That’ll get you NHL Power Play and Florida’s ESPN+ exclusives.
How to watch the Florida Panthers FAQ
Can Florida Panthers games be watched for free?
South Florida viewers within range of a Scripps Sports affiliate can watch locally produced Panthers games for free over the air with a digital antenna. Florida's ABC national game may also be available over the air, while DIRECTV and Fubo free trials can provide short-term access to some other broadcasts.
How do out-of-market fans watch Panthers games?
Most regional Panthers broadcasts are available out of market through NHL Power Play in the ESPN app with ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. NHL Center Ice provides another option through participating cable and satellite providers, while national-exclusive games remain with their assigned networks or streaming services.
Is Panthers Plus available outside South Florida?
Panthers Plus is designed for viewers inside the Panthers' South Florida television territory. Fans outside that region should generally use NHL Power Play or NHL Center Ice for regional broadcasts, though additional blackout restrictions can apply.
What happened to FanDuel Sports Network Florida?
FanDuel Sports Network Florida doesn't carry Panthers games. Florida moved its local broadcasts away from the former Bally Sports Florida setup in 2024, and Scripps Sports now holds the team's regional TV rights. In-market streaming is available through Panthers Plus.
Why you should trust us
CableTV.com Contributing Writer Ian McLaren is a longtime NHL writer and host of the daily “Locked On Bruins” podcast who has covered the league for nearly two decades. He even remembers when the most famous rat in the Panthers’ locker room wasn’t Brad Marchand — thanks to Scott Mellanby, of course.
For CableTV.com’s NHL viewing guides, Ian reviews official team schedules, regional and national broadcast information, streaming access rules, and TV provider lineups. CableTV.com revisits these pages as channel assignments, media rights, streaming services, and provider packages change. Learn more about the process on the How We Rank page.
More ways to watch NHL games
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NHL Center Ice is an out-of-market sports package for cable and satellite TV subscribers that gets you around 40 NHL games per week. It also includes NHL Network for around-the-clock hockey coverage.
Skate into endless hours of NHL action with ESPN+. Stream 1,050+ out-of-market games and 47 exclusive national matchups with ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited.
