NHL Preseason Tickets 2026-27: Prices, On-Sale Dates and Resale Guide

2026-27 NHL preseason tickets: the quick answer

Tickets for many 2026-27 NHL preseason games are already on sale, but there is no leaguewide on-sale date or standard price. Each club, arena or neutral-site organizer controls its event. Start with the team's official website, follow its authorized seller link and compare the complete checkout total before paying.

The NHL scheduled the 2026 preseason for September 19 through September 26. Its announced slate contains 65 games across eight days and 36 NHL or neutral-site venues. Because the window is short, the practical buying questions are game-specific: which arena hosts it, who is the seller, whether the listing is primary or resale, what the fees add and how mobile entry works.

Before buying, confirm five details:

• the exact teams, date, local puck-drop time and venue;
• the seller reached from the official club or venue page;
• whether the seat is standard primary inventory or verified resale;
• the final price after taxes and fees, not just the first number displayed;
• the transfer, refund and mobile-entry rules attached to that event.

This article focuses on purchasing. For the compressed format, dates and why the exhibition period changed, use our 2026 NHL preseason schedule guide. Do not use a ticket listing as the only schedule authority: inventory can remain online after a time change, and neutral-site games may appear under the venue rather than either club's usual arena.

Checked September 4, 2026: all examples below are snapshots, not league price promises. Availability and resale supply can change until puck drop.

When did 2026 NHL preseason tickets go on sale?

Teams released preseason tickets on different schedules. Some announced an exhibition slate first and supplied ticket details weeks later; others put inventory on sale with the schedule announcement. The examples below show why one national “release date” would be misleading.

Club or market	Verified 2026 ticket timing	What the announcement showed
Chicago Blackhawks	Public sale July 8	Ticketmaster sale accompanied a two-home-game preseason announcement.
Toronto Maple Leafs	Public sale July 23	The club announced a separate date for its preseason inventory.
Montreal Canadiens	Bell Centre public sale August 5	The club also offered a newsletter route for presale information.
Vegas Golden Knights	Home preseason inventory was on sale by August 3	A later plan announcement linked already-available exhibition tickets.

These are documented examples, not a promise that seats remain or that another team's sale followed the same sequence. “Presale” also does not mean the public has been shut out permanently. It normally describes an earlier access window for eligible members, mailing-list subscribers, partners or account holders; the event page should state the requirements.

To find your game, use this route:

1. Open the NHL club's official schedule or ticket page.
2. Select the home or neutral-site game you want.
3. Follow the club's link to the designated ticketing provider.
4. Confirm the venue, date and matchup again on the provider page.

Neutral-site games require extra care. The Los Angeles–Vegas Empire Classic in Ontario, California, was directed through AXS and the local Ontario Reign route, rather than being treated exactly like a regular Crypto.com Arena or T-Mobile Arena event. The host venue determines the event listing and entry rules.

For the broader sequence covering season memberships, presales and regular-season single games, read when 2026-27 NHL tickets go on sale. This preseason guide remains narrower: it helps you verify one exhibition event.

How much do NHL preseason tickets cost?

There is no credible leaguewide 2026 preseason ticket average. Price depends on the club, venue, seat, opponent, day, inventory type and purchase timing. A single resale search can also mix prices from different sections or show a per-ticket figure before the final order total.

Chicago provides a useful official face-value example. The Blackhawks advertised their two United Center preseason games at $20 in the 200 Level and $30 in the 100 Level. The club explicitly said those amounts were before taxes and fees and that preseason seating would be limited to those two levels. That is evidence for Chicago's offer, not a $20 NHL-wide floor.

Evaluate cost in this order:

1. Seat price: confirm whether the displayed amount is for one seat or the selected quantity.
2. Inventory type: standard tickets and resale tickets may sit beside each other at different prices.
3. Fees and taxes: reach the final review screen before comparing two options.
4. Delivery: check whether mobile transfer is included and whether any delivery restriction applies.
5. Trip cost: add parking or transit, food and travel before calling an option cheap.

A low preseason price can be genuine because exhibitions often carry less certainty about star participation and do not affect the standings. It can also reflect an obstructed angle, a distant row or supply that a season-ticket holder does not plan to use. Conversely, rivalry games, Saturday dates, neutral-site events or scarce markets can command more. The event page—not the word “preseason”—sets the current transaction.

Ticketmaster's broad 2026-27 NHL FAQ mentions a general NHL ticket average, but that figure is not labeled as a preseason average. Do not use it to decide whether one exhibition seat is a bargain. For wider regular-season price factors and terminology, see our 2026-27 NHL ticket price guide; then return to the specific preseason checkout for the real total.

Primary tickets vs. verified resale

A primary ticket comes from the event's original authorized inventory. A resale ticket was purchased previously and listed again by its holder. Both can appear on the same marketplace, so color, filter or label matters more than the website name alone.

Question	Standard primary inventory	Verified resale inventory
Who sets the listing?	Team, venue or authorized event seller	Existing ticket holder within the marketplace rules
When can it appear?	At the club or event's public/presale release	When an eligible holder lists a ticket; sometimes before a broad public sale
Can price change?	Yes, depending on event pricing and remaining inventory	Yes, the seller can often adjust the listing within marketplace limits
What must be checked?	Fees, delivery, seat and event policy	The same items, plus the verified-resale label and any resale-specific conditions

Ticketmaster says its NHL Ticket Exchange reissues a verified resale ticket for the new buyer, avoiding photocopy handoffs. That protection applies to tickets carrying the marketplace's verified designation; it should not be generalized to a screenshot, a social-media message or an unknown site.

Seeing only resale inventory does not always prove a game is sold out. Public standard tickets may not have opened yet, a team may release sections in stages, or filters may hide another inventory type. Return to the official club announcement and check the stated public-sale date before paying a resale premium.

Likewise, buying verified resale does not guarantee that your ticket can later be sold again. Ticketmaster says resale eligibility is set by the team or venue and that some ticket types can be excluded. For an existing order, the presence of a Sell button in the account is the practical eligibility check. Transfer can be a separate control, so verify it independently if another person will attend.

How to buy NHL preseason tickets safely

The safest purchase starts on a first-party club or venue page, even when the final transaction happens elsewhere. That route confirms who is authorized for this particular game and reduces the chance of paying for a speculative listing before standard inventory opens.

1. Verify the event at the source. Match the club announcement to the venue and local start time.
2. Follow the official seller link. NHL arenas commonly use major digital platforms, but a neutral venue can use a different provider.
3. Inspect the listing label. Know whether it is standard, presale, accessible seating, package inventory or verified resale.
4. Review the entire order. Confirm section, row, seat count, currency, fees, taxes, delivery and event policy before submitting payment.
5. Secure the account. Use a unique password or passkey where available and never share an order number or ticket barcode publicly.
6. Accept a transfer inside the official system. A screenshot or browser image is not the same as a ticket delivered to the account used by the event.

Ticketmaster's 2026 mobile-ticket safety guidance says screenshots will not work for its protected mobile tickets and that a valid transfer should appear in the user's account. Some barcodes are delayed until close to the event or refresh dynamically. That delay is not automatically a sign that an order failed, but the ticket should still be visible as an order or accepted transfer within the official account.

Do not generalize one provider's interface to every rink. For example, the Blues say Enterprise Center uses mobile entry for team games and rejects screenshots, while a neutral-site organizer may use another app or wallet process. Read the event's own “know before you go” message.

Avoid sellers who demand gift cards, cryptocurrency or an off-platform payment to “unlock” a transfer. Also avoid a ticket image that exposes a barcode or personal order data. The possession test is simple: before travel, the valid ticket must be manageable in the authorized account or wallet method named by the event.

Which preseason game and seats should you choose?

Choose the experience first, then the section. A preseason game can be a lower-cost arena visit, a prospect evaluation, a rivalry night or a rare neutral-site event. It is not the right purchase if your only acceptable outcome is seeing one star play heavy minutes.

• For prospects: earlier exhibitions can provide extended looks at players competing for jobs, but the lineup remains a same-day decision.
• For familiar NHL players: later games may feel closer to a regular lineup, yet no article can guarantee who dresses or how minutes are distributed.
• For a rivalry: opponent interest can improve atmosphere, but it may also increase demand.
• For a special trip: neutral-site games can bring NHL teams to another market, while using a different building, seller and entry policy.
• For schedule certainty: select a date that leaves travel margin and recheck the local time before departure.

For seats, an elevated position near center ice usually makes breakouts, line changes and team shape easier to follow. Lower corners and ends can emphasize speed, contact and goaltending angles. Seats by the glass maximize proximity but can make action at the opposite end harder to read, while railings, benches, penalty boxes and boards can affect individual sightlines.

Open the venue's interactive seat map and accessibility information before checkout. “Lower bowl” alone does not tell you whether a railing or bench enters the view. If bringing children, also inspect arena rules on bags, strollers, age/ticket requirements and hearing protection; those policies vary.

Split-squad games create the clearest lineup warning. Montreal and Toronto scheduled simultaneous home-and-away split-squad exhibitions on September 19, so the available players had to be divided. Never buy a preseason seat solely on an assumed star appearance. Check team communications on game day, while accepting that a late decision can still change the lineup.

When to buy: early, late or game day

There is no universal cheapest day to buy an NHL preseason ticket. Waiting can expose lower listings if sellers adjust, but it can also remove the section, quantity or price you wanted. Decide which risk you are willing to carry.

Buying moment	Best fit	Main tradeoff
At public on-sale	Fans who need several adjacent seats or a specific section	More selection does not guarantee the eventual lowest total.
Several weeks out	Travelers balancing seats with hotel and transport planning	Inventory can change after the booking decision.
Final days	Local buyers flexible on section and quantity	Prices may move either way, and desired seats can disappear.
Game day	Highly flexible buyers already near the venue	Entry, transfer and payment must complete before gates; there may be no acceptable inventory.

Buy earlier when you need three or more seats together, accessible seating, a particular sightline or firm travel plans. Waiting is more defensible when you need one or two seats, can accept multiple sections and will not lose nonrefundable travel money if the market disappoints.

Do not treat a lower sticker price as savings until fees and seat quality are equal. Take a screenshot of the price comparison if useful, but never post or rely on a screenshot of the ticket barcode. If two listings have similar totals, the one already delivered through the authorized account with a clear seat location may be the lower-risk value.

The compressed preseason is scheduled to end September 26, only days before the regular campaign opens. If your real priority is a meaningful game with more predictable lineup stakes, compare the 2026-27 regular-season schedule before settling for an exhibition. A preseason bargain is only valuable when it matches the experience you actually want.

Ticket transfer, resale and refund rules

Transfer, resale and refund are three different permissions. A ticket may allow one and not another. Inspect the order controls and purchase policy before buying for a group or for a date that may become difficult.

Transfer

A transfer sends an eligible ticket to another attendee's account so that person can enter independently. Ticketmaster says the Transfer button appears when the event organizer has activated the feature. If the control is absent, do not assume customer service can override the restriction. The recipient should accept before traveling and confirm the ticket is visible in the correct team, venue or marketplace account.

Resale

Resale lists an eligible seat for another buyer. Eligibility is shown by the Sell control and can vary by team, venue, event or ticket type. A listing is not a completed sale. If it remains unsold by the event's deadline, the ticket returns to the holder's account; failure to find a buyer does not by itself create a refund.

Cancellation, postponement and rescheduling

For Ticketmaster NHL orders, its 2026-27 guidance separates the statuses:

• Canceled: an automatic refund is generally returned to the original payment method when the game will not be played.
• Postponed: keep the ticket while the organizer determines a new date or cancellation; no immediate action is normally required.
• Rescheduled: the ticket remains valid, while refund availability depends on the organizer and should appear as a Request Refund option when offered.

Always follow the original point of purchase. A resale marketplace, team account manager and neutral-site seller can have different notice and credit procedures. If someone else originally bought the ticket, money may return to that person's payment method rather than directly to the attendee holding the mobile pass.

Weather, player availability or dissatisfaction with the lineup normally should not be treated as cancellation. A preseason ticket buys entry to the scheduled exhibition, not a guarantee that a named player dresses. Ticket insurance, if offered, has its own covered reasons and exclusions; read those terms rather than assuming it covers a change of mind.

NHL preseason ticket FAQ

When is the 2026 NHL preseason?

The league's 65-game preseason is scheduled for September 19 through September 26, 2026. The announced slate spans 36 NHL and neutral-site venues, so confirm the arena as well as the two teams.

When do NHL preseason tickets go on sale?

There is no leaguewide date. Verified examples ranged from Chicago's July 8 public sale to Montreal's August 5 Bell Centre sale, while other clubs opened on different dates. Use the team's current ticket announcement.

Are NHL preseason tickets cheaper than regular-season tickets?

They can be, but “preseason” does not guarantee a lower total for every market or seat. Chicago advertised $20 and $30 tiers before taxes and fees; rivalry, neutral-site and resale inventory can behave differently. Compare the final checkout with a comparable regular-season seat.

Are NHL stars guaranteed to play in the preseason?

No. Exhibition lineups support evaluation and preparation, and players can be rested or divided between split squads. Check team information on game day, but understand that a ticket does not guarantee one player's appearance or minutes.

Can children enter without a ticket?

Age and lap-child rules vary by arena and event. The fact that a game is preseason does not create a leaguewide free-child rule. Check the host venue's policy using the child's age and the exact event.

Can I buy NHL preseason tickets on resale?

Yes, when eligible holders list them. Use a marketplace that verifies the ticket and complete the authorized mobile transfer. A social-media screenshot is not a safe substitute for a ticket in the event account.

Can I print my mobile ticket or use a screenshot?

Do not assume so. Ticketmaster says screenshots do not work for its protected mobile tickets, and some venues use rotating barcodes or tap-to-enter wallets. Load the official ticket before arriving and follow the host arena's instructions.

Are neutral-site preseason tickets sold by the NHL team?

Sometimes the club directs buyers to the neutral venue or its local seller. Verify the host building and follow the ticket link from the official announcement instead of guessing which team's normal marketplace applies.