Despite us being in the dog days of summer, hockey is just around the corner. On Wednesday morning, the San Jose Sharks' home opener for the 2026-27 was officially revealed. On October 1, the Sharks will host new-look Florida Panthers, featuring both of the Tkachuk brothers, in their first game at the SAP Center of the new campaign.

Historically, the Sharks have struggled a bit against the Panthers, as they have an overall record of 16-19-5 against the team from Sunrise, Florida. Things did change during the 2025-26 season though, as the Sharks were able to sweep the season series against Florida for the first time since the 2015-`16 season. The Sharks' win over the Panthers on November 8, 2025 was their first victory over them in general since the 2017-18 season.

It'll certainly be a tough test for the Sharks when they start the season, but considering they have playoff aspirations, it's an important one. Even though the Panthers missed the playoffs last season, they should be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference once again this season, now that they're fully healthy. If the Sharks are truly going to be competing for a playoff spot in April, they'll need to have convincing performances against teams with proven success in recent memory. While they won't have to go through the Panthers for a playoff spot, getting one over on one of the NHL's top teams would be a great start to the new season.