Flyers 2026-27 schedule announced

The National Hockey League revealed the respective schedules for its 32 member franchises on Thursday afternoon, which for the Philadelphia Flyers, means an 84-game slate to commemorate the club's 60th season.

While no times or broadcast schedule were disclosed with the announcement, here's what we know about the full slate at this time:

The Flyers will open up in September for the first time in their history, a Sept. 30 home opener vs. the rival Pittsburgh Penguins -- followed by a road game the next night as the opponent for the New Jersey Devils' home opener.

Previously, the earliest the Orange and Black began a regular season was Oct. 1, 1997, when the NHL paused for 3 1/2 weeks to send its best players to international Olympic competition for the first time. In addition, this season is expected to be the first full 84-game regular season since 1993-94, with the planned 84-game schedule shortened to 48 games per team due to the lockout which wiped out games from Oct. 1 through Jan. 19.

The club will play its most games in the month of January, with 16 scheduled and split evenly between home and road dates.

The season is set to conclude on Apr. 10 with the second of two matchups with the Washington Capitals -- which may be the final regular season game in the storied career of all-time goals leader Alex Ovechkin.

Key dates and matchups are as follows:

• The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes come to Philly on Oct. 3, the third scheduled game of this upcoming season.
• There is a Black Friday home slot open for Nov. 27 against the Vancouver Canucks, which is typically played in the afternoon since the league began to regularly schedule home games on this date since 1989. 
• There will be no New Year's Eve game, but instead a New Year's Day contest at San Jose.
• Embedded in the schedule is a 10-day break for the Flyers between Feb. 3 and Feb. 13, presumably an extended pause for All-Star festivities. 
• Nathan McKinnon and the Presidents' Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche make their lone visit on Oct. 19, while the Anaheim Ducks return to Philadelphia on Oct. 24. 
• Mike Babcock, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl head to Philly with the Oilers on Nov. 15.

For more information on the full schedule, head to the official team page.

Eagles, Cowboys to renew hostilities on Thanksgiving

In advance of the release of the National Football League's master schedule for the 2026 season, anticipated to occur on Thursday night, certain matchups have already been leaked.

One of those made known to the public late Monday afternoon, is the Dallas Cowboys' opponent on Thanksgiving.

This year, it will be the defending NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys have hosted the late afternoon start on the 4th Thursday in November almost every year since 1966, excepting 1975 and 1977. 

Philadelphia has been chosen as their foe twice previously, in 1989 and 2014, winning both.

The Cowboys have won each of their last four Thanksgiving matchups. Last season, it was a 31-28 triumph over the three-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Las Vegas Raiders were the last club to top America's Team on America's holiday, a 36-33 overtime decision on Nov. 25, 2021.

Distaste between the two NFC East franchises, simmering for decades, reached a boiling point at Texas Stadium in Irving, TX on Nov. 23, 1989. Retroactively nicknamed "Bounty Bowl I" for Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan instructing several Cowboys players to be targeted, including former kicker Luis Zendejas, the Birds won, 27-0. That marked the first time Dallas was shutout on the holiday.

In that blowout victory, Eagles QB Randall Cunningham finished 21-of-33 for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Cris Carter. The visitors' defense forced 5 Cowboys turnovers and held rookie QB Troy Aikman to 54 yards through the air on 7-of-21 completions. 

Flash forward to 25 years later, Nov. 27, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Embattled signal-caller Mark Sanchez -- who infamously was victimized by the "Butt Fumble" two years prior while playing for the New York Jets against the New England Patriots -- led the Birds to a rousing 33-10 victory. 

Sanchez ended the day 20-of-29 for 217 yards, one score through the air and another on a rush. LeSean McCoy rolled for 159 yards on 25 carries and another ground TD. Conversely, Dallas QB Tony Romo was picked off twice and sacked 4 times and the hosts committed three turnovers.

For the Eagles, this will mark the eighth time the bellwether franchise has been selected to play on Thanksgiving, having gone 6-1 previously. Their only defeat came in their last Thanksgiving matchup, in Detroit, a 45-14 walloping by the Lions in 2015. Between 1968 and 2014, they bested the Pittsburgh Pirates (1939, 1940), the Lions (1968), Cowboys and Cardinals (2008). 

The remainder of the 2026 schedule for all NFL teams is expected to be revealed this Thursday, May 14, at 8 pm on NFL Network.