The 2026-27 NHL season begins tonight, and the Carolina Hurricanes are priced as a 55% home favorite against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center, with puck drop scheduled for 5 p.m. ET (ESPN).
In what will be an emotional night as they raise the Stanley Cup banner, my Panthers vs. Hurricanes predictions expect Carolina to bring their best.
Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, Sept. 29.
TOP PICK
Panthers vs Hurricanes prediction: Hurricanes moneyline
Play up to 60%.
It’s always difficult to know exactly what to expect on opening night, but continuity gives the Carolina Hurricanes an appealing edge in Raleigh.
The defending Stanley Cup champions return most of the roster that carried them to the title last season, meaning there should be very little adjustment to Rod Brind’Amour’s system. That stability matters early on, when teams are still settling into new personnel and combinations.
There’s also been a strong recent trend for reigning champions, with the previous Cup winners taking four straight season openers while posting a 7-1-2 record over the last 10.
The Florida Panthers should be a contender after a poor 2025-26 season, but at 55%, I’m comfortable backing Carolina’s familiarity and home-ice advantage.
COVERS INTEL: Carolina has won five of its last six season openers on home ice. 
Panthers vs Hurricanes combo
Seven or more goals is appealing given the offensive talent on both sides, and recent meetings have produced plenty of scoring, averaging eight goals across the last four.
Aho is also worth a look to score. With Seth Jarvis sidelined for the opener, Aho should carry an even larger offensive workload after leading Carolina with 80 points while netting 27 goals last season.
He's also a key weapon on the power play and consistently gets into dangerous areas at even strength, generating 64 individual high-danger chances at 5-on-5 last season. In a matchup where I expect plenty of scoring opportunities, Aho has a strong path to finding the back of the net.
Panthers vs Hurricanes combo
- Hurricanes moneyline
- Over 6.5
- Sebastian Aho anytime goal
Panthers vs Hurricanes goal scorer: Sam Reinhart anytime goal
Play up to 40%.
Sam Reinhart led the Panthers in scoring last season, netting 29 times despite playing in just 64 games. He’ll be a threat once again tonight, and Reinhart also found the back of the net in one of his three meetings with Carolina in 2025-26.
His road underlying numbers were encouraging as well. Reinhart generated 54 individual scoring chances and 27 high-danger opportunities at 5-on-5 away from home last season.
Skating alongside Aleksander Barkov and Brady Tkachuk on Florida’s top line should continue to put Reinhart in premium scoring situations, giving him a solid path to finding the back of the net.
Panthers vs Hurricanes odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Moneyline: Panthers 47% | Hurricanes 55%
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (48%) | Under 6.5 (54%)
- Spread: Panthers +1.5 (69%) | Hurricanes -1.5 (33%)
For the full slate of NHL matchups, check out our NHL odds board!
Panthers vs Hurricanes trend
The Over is 4-0 in the last four head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends.
How to watch Panthers vs Hurricanes
| Location | Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC |
| Date | Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 5 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Panthers vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Check out our NHL injuries page for updates on every team.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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