The NHL announced on Tuesday that the upcoming 2026-27 season schedule will be released on July 16, which means Calgary Flames fans will finally get a chance to see who will visit the Scotiabank Saddledome for the final time. 

Looking back at the last ten schedules and seeing who the Flames began the season against, and who skated first at the Saddledome, history suggests the Flames will host an American team for what will be the final season in the Dome. 

Last year, the Flames began the season on the road in Edmonton on Oct. 8, facing the Oilers before bolting to Vancouver to visit the Canucks on Oct. 9. Two nights later, they hosted the St. Louis Blues for the home opener, which they lost 4-2. Calgary began their year 5-13-3 before their first win streak in November.

In 2024-25, the Flames opened the campaign on a four-game win streak, going 5-4-1 in their first ten games. Once again, they began on the road, in Vancouver, in a classic 6-5 overtime victory. Three nights later, the Philadelphia Flyers came to the Saddledome for the home opener, which Calgary won 6-3.

On Oct. 11, 2023, the Flames welcomed the Winnipeg Jets to the Dome to kick off the 2023-24 season, earning a 5-3 win. Meanwhile, in their first ten games, Calgary stumbled to a 2-7-1 record. 

The Flames followed up their most recent playoff appearance by opening the season with nine of their first ten games at home, including the season opener on Oct. 13, 2022, a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Despite starting 5-1-0, a seven-game winless streak dropped them to 5-6-2 after 13 games. 

To begin their match to the Pacific Division title win in 2021-22, the Flames began the year on the road in Edmonton with a 5-2 loss, before falling to the Anaheim Ducks on home ice on Oct. 18. Then, they rattled off six consecutive wins for their second-longest streak of the campaign. 

During the 2020-21 season, which began in mid-January, the Flames were part of the Canadian Division and remained within the country for the entire season. They played their opener in Winnipeg, suffering a 4-3 overtime loss, before sweeping the Canucks in a two-game set at the Saddledome.

Before COVID halted the NHL season after roughly 70 games, Calgary began the 2019-20 campaign in Colorado, falling to the Avalanche 5-3. Two nights later, at their home opener, they shut out the Canucks 3-0.

En route to a 50-25-7 record, the Flames dropped their season opener to the Canucks in Vancouver by a 5-2 score on Oct. 3, 2018. However, three nights later at the Saddledome, they picked up a 7-4 victory over the Canucks. Surprisingly, the club went 5-5-0 in their first ten games before winning the Pacific Division title in the spring.

To begin the 2017-18 season, Calgary was shut out by the Oilers 3-0 at Rogers Place on Oct. 4, 2017, but bounced back in their Saddledome opener three nights later, earning a 6-3 win over the Jets. 

The Flames began their 2016-17 season with a home-and-home set against the Oilers, resulting in two losses. On Oct. 12, 2016, Edmonton roughed up Calgary 7-4 at home, before defeating them at the Saddledome two nights later on Oct. 14, by a 5-3 score. Multi-game losing streaks gave the Flames a 5-10-1 record through 16 games. 

Who do you want to see the Flames play in the final Saddledome home opener? It makes sense that it's Edmonton for nostalgia, but history will say Vancouver is the other logical choice. However, maybe the NHL has a different plan in mind, bringing in a legend like Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby or an up-and-coming star like San Jose's Macklin Celebrini. Let us know what you think in the comments.