The release of the 2025-26 NHL regular season schedule has painted a vivid picture of travel extremes, with the Dallas Stars poised to embark on the league’s most arduous journey—clocking 50,601.7 miles through 40 time zones—while the New York Islanders enjoy the shortest commute, staying closest to home with just 28,477.3 miles across 20 time zones. As the puck prepares to drop on October 7, the league’s 32 teams face a collective travel odyssey spanning nearly 1.3 million miles, promising unique logistical challenges and competitive opportunities shaped by the quirks of geography and scheduling.
Travel has long been a hidden battleground in the National Hockey League. The sheer size of North America skewers the advantage unevenly, assigning the most grueling itineraries to teams sprawled across the Western Conference and affording a comparative reprieve to clubs tucked along the East Coast.
Excessive travel doesn’t just mean jet lag. It can impact circadian rhythms, increase injury risk, erode recovery times, and wear down even the most resilient athletes over the marathon 82-game campaign. The 2025-26 schedule, meticulously analyzed using the haversine formula to account for Earth's curvature, highlights how some teams face a season-long grind in the air, while others are gifted relative convenience.
Conversely, the New York Islanders benefit from their East Coast location and dense clustering of opponents, logging the fewest miles. Rounded out by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, Eastern Conference teams dominate the ranks of least-traveled squads.
AI-driven tools synthesized this data, resulting in a granular, team-by-team map of the 2025-26 travel toll. Notably, this methodology factors in the number of road trips—a crucial element. Fewer, longer journeys may be less taxing than frequent short hops, even if the mileage adds up similarly.
Fans, too, benefit from a season rich in geographic drama—cross-continental marathons, outdoor spectacles in unconventional locales, and the return of Olympic ambition. The league’s commitment to spectacle and the development of its international footprint is mirrored in the intricacies of its travel ledger.
In the end, the journey—sometimes just as consequential as the games themselves—remains a definitive factor in the chase for the Stanley Cup. As the 2025-26 campaign unfolds, mileage may not be measured only in kilometers or feet on the ice, but in the stamina, adaptability, and strategic savvy cultivated on the long road to hockey glory.
Source: Bookies.com 2025-26 NHL Miles Traveled: Dallas Tops List; Islanders Stay Closest To Home
Background: Why Miles Traveled Matter in the NHL
Travel has long been a hidden battleground in the National Hockey League. The sheer size of North America skewers the advantage unevenly, assigning the most grueling itineraries to teams sprawled across the Western Conference and affording a comparative reprieve to clubs tucked along the East Coast.Excessive travel doesn’t just mean jet lag. It can impact circadian rhythms, increase injury risk, erode recovery times, and wear down even the most resilient athletes over the marathon 82-game campaign. The 2025-26 schedule, meticulously analyzed using the haversine formula to account for Earth's curvature, highlights how some teams face a season-long grind in the air, while others are gifted relative convenience.
Statistical Breakdown: A Season of Uneven Journeys
This year’s analysis—reviewing all 1,312 regular-season clashes—delivers remarkable insights into the travel burden by team. The Dallas Stars, with their central Texas location, top the mileage leaderboard, barely edging out the San Jose Sharks, both eclipsing 50,000 road miles. The Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, and Colorado Avalanche round out the top five, all forced to routinely crisscross the continent.Conversely, the New York Islanders benefit from their East Coast location and dense clustering of opponents, logging the fewest miles. Rounded out by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, Eastern Conference teams dominate the ranks of least-traveled squads.
NHL Team Travel: The Top and Bottom Lines
- Most Miles Traveled (2025-26):
- Dallas Stars: 50,601.7 miles (40 time zones, 18 road trips)
- San Jose Sharks: 50,348.2 miles (40 time zones, 15 road trips)
- Vancouver Canucks: 48,378.0 miles (43 time zones, 14 road trips)
- Nashville Predators: 47,581.1 miles (51 time zones, 17 road trips)
- Colorado Avalanche: 47,235.3 miles (42 time zones, 21 road trips)
- Fewest Miles Traveled:
- New York Islanders: 28,477.3 miles (20 time zones, 17 road trips)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 32,134.2 miles (22 time zones, 19 road trips)
- Buffalo Sabres: 32,222.2 miles (24 time zones, 19 road trips)
- Detroit Red Wings: 33,446.8 miles (20 time zones, 18 road trips)
- New Jersey Devils: 34,069.2 miles (27 time zones, 18 road trips)
The Methodology: Mapping the NHL’s Season-Long Trek
To achieve these calculations, the distances between the 32 NHL arenas were measured using precise geographic coordinates coupled with the haversine formula—a robust approach that accounts for the Earth's spherical shape. These figures are not mere “as-the-crow-flies” calculations; they represent the most accurate approximation of actual in-the-air travel necessary.AI-driven tools synthesized this data, resulting in a granular, team-by-team map of the 2025-26 travel toll. Notably, this methodology factors in the number of road trips—a crucial element. Fewer, longer journeys may be less taxing than frequent short hops, even if the mileage adds up similarly.
Spotlight: Noteworthy Road Trips and Scheduling Surprises
Dallas and San Jose: The Mileage Marathon
- Dallas Stars: Covering 50,601.7 miles over 18 road trips, the Stars will span the continent multiple times, a consequence of being positioned away from both conference rivals and divisional opponents.
- San Jose Sharks: Their 50,348.2 miles reflect the geographic challenge of being the westernmost continental team, with few nearby rivals and a heavy dose of cross-country trips.
Vancouver, Nashville, Vegas: Western Gauntlet
The Vancouver Canucks (48,378 miles), Nashville Predators (47,581.1 miles), and Vegas Golden Knights (46,916.6 miles) all face travel schedules marked by both frequent coast-to-coast flights and the added twist of increased time zone hopping (Vancouver: 43, Nashville: 51, Vegas: 52).The “Close-to-Home” Club
Eastern teams are inherently sheltered from these extremes. The New York Islanders’ travel footprint—28,477.3 miles and 20 time zones—epitomizes the advantage of playing in a densely packed region, with most away games only short flights or bus rides away. For teams like the Leafs and Sabres, competitive balance benefits from geographic luck.Unique Scheduling Events: Europe and Outdoors
- European Excursion: The NHL’s global push sees Pittsburgh and Nashville square off in Stockholm, Sweden, resulting in an extra 8,261.24 and 9,161.66 travel miles, respectively, and navigating time differences of six and seven hours.
- Olympic Break: The schedule includes an 18-day pause in February for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, marking the return of NHLers to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
Special Features of the 2025-26 NHL Schedule
Opening Night Drama
The 2025-26 NHL campaign opens on October 7 with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. The Oilers return to Sunrise on November 22 for a rematch of the previous season’s epic finale. The Capitals and Bruins inaugurate their seasons with a marquee showdown in Washington on October 8.The Longest and Shortest Road Trips
- Edmonton Oilers: Executing the season’s longest North American road swing, the Oilers trek 7,117.4 miles through a gauntlet of opposition (Philadelphia, Columbus, Carolina, Buffalo, Washington, Tampa, Florida) before the long haul back to Edmonton, representing a logistical and physiological trial.
- Shortest Trip: The New Jersey Devils and Rangers make a literal 29-mile round trip when facing off, highlighting the hyper-local flavor of East Coast rivalries.
Outdoor Spectacles in the Sunshine State
America’s tropical venues take the outdoor game spotlight:- Winter Classic: The Rangers and Panthers face off at Miami’s loanDepot Park on January 2, with the roof opening ceremonially for puck drop under the Florida night sky.
- Raymond James Stadium, Tampa: The Bruins and Lightning skate outdoors on February 1, with special ice protections planned to counteract Florida’s elements. Both games showcase the NHL’s commitment to spectacle in non-traditional markets, aided by innovative approaches to keeping the ice in prime condition.
The Thanksgiving Showdown
Two Original Six teams, the Rangers and Bruins, add retro flair with their annual November 28 meeting—a callback to the league's storied history, now set against a backdrop of evolving travel and scheduling sophistication.Critical Analysis: Competitive Balance and the Scheduling Conundrum
The distribution of travel miles in the 2025-26 season once again highlights a persistent imbalance that raises league-wide questions about competitive equity.Strengths and Innovations
- Global Growth: Moves like staging regular-season games in Europe, and bringing back NHL participation at the Olympics, benefit the league’s brand and player experience.
- Scheduling Flexibility: Factoring in long breaks for global events and shared arena use demonstrates adaptability, especially in managing complex logistics.
- Technological Precision: Leveraging AI and rigorous geographic algorithms has allowed for unprecedented scheduling transparency and accuracy.
Areas of Concern
- Western Conference Disadvantage: Teams out west (Dallas, San Jose, Vancouver) are at an inherent disadvantage, facing longer trips, more time zones, and less recovery.
- Player Wellness: The cumulative effect of excessive travel—disruption of sleep cycles, jet lag, and greater physical strain—has meaningful impact on performance, injury rates, and career longevity.
- Scheduling Fairness: No matter how optimized the schedule becomes, the NHL’s geography guarantees persistent inequities. While the league can fine-tune road swing efficiency, the east-west divide remains stark.
Notable Risks
- Fatigue-Induced Performance Drops: Teams subjected to extreme travel—especially on back-to-back games and red-eye flights—risk mid-season slumps and inconsistent performance.
- Injury Patterns: A long-discussed but still under-researched concern, increased travel distance and frequency have been correlated with heightened soft-tissue injuries.
- Travel-Related Delays: Weather, mechanical issues, and international logistics (especially with overseas and outdoor games) can cause unforeseen disruptions, potentially exacerbating fatigue and stress.
Avenues for Mitigation
- Rest Optimization: Enhanced rest, nutrition, and recovery protocols for high-mileage teams.
- Travel Tech: Adoption of charter aircraft with sleep-focused amenities and time zone acclimatization strategies.
- Schedule Adjustments: Where possible, clustering road games and introducing mandatory rest days after extreme trips.
The NHL’s 2025-26 Season: A Map of Challenges and Opportunity
As the league gets set for another unforgettable season, travel emerges as a silent but decisive opponent. The Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, and other western stalwarts must harness resilience, logistics know-how, and depth of roster to contend with their outsized itineraries. Meanwhile, the Islanders and their Eastern peers enjoy a built-in scheduling reprieve, setting the stage for fascinating disparities in late-season stamina and playoff positioning.Fans, too, benefit from a season rich in geographic drama—cross-continental marathons, outdoor spectacles in unconventional locales, and the return of Olympic ambition. The league’s commitment to spectacle and the development of its international footprint is mirrored in the intricacies of its travel ledger.
In the end, the journey—sometimes just as consequential as the games themselves—remains a definitive factor in the chase for the Stanley Cup. As the 2025-26 campaign unfolds, mileage may not be measured only in kilometers or feet on the ice, but in the stamina, adaptability, and strategic savvy cultivated on the long road to hockey glory.
Source: Bookies.com 2025-26 NHL Miles Traveled: Dallas Tops List; Islanders Stay Closest To Home