The Hershey Bears released their 72-game schedule for the 2026-27 AHL season on Thursday.
Hershey will begin its 89th season on Saturday, October 3, hosting the Charlotte Checkers at Giant Center at 6 pm. The earlier puck drop is part of a new scheduling initiative that will feature select Saturday home games starting at 6 pm instead of 7 pm.
Hershey’s Home Opener against Charlotte begins a franchise-record seven-game homestand from October 3 through 24, which will see the Bears have their first regular-season meetings in their history against the Texas Stars (October 10-11). The clubs have not faced each other since Hershey defeated Texas in six games to win the 2010 Calder Cup.
Another new opponent arrives on November 11 when the Hamilton Hammers — formerly the Bridgeport Islanders — make their first trip to Chocolatetown following the franchise’s relocation to Ontario. The Bears officially ended the Islanders’ tenure in Bridgeport during the postseason when they swept them two games to none in the 2026 Atlantic Division First Round.
The most bonkers month of the schedule is December, where the Bears start by taking on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms four consecutive times, three at PPL Center and once at home. They also face I-81 Rival, Wilkes-Barre, four times in December while having an entire week off for Christmas from December 20 through 26.
January will be Hershey’s busiest month, with 14 games, including a season-long six-game road trip from January 17 through 31. During that stretch, the Bears will visit Lehigh Valley, Syracuse, Rochester, Utica, and Cleveland twice.
The Bears will again play every Eastern Conference opponent during the regular season. Their most frequent opponents will be Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, whom they’ll face 12 times each. Charlotte follows with eight meetings, while Hershey will also play four games against Texas as its lone Western Conference opponent.
Five things to know about the Bears’ 2026-27 schedule
- Opening Night: Oct. 3 vs. Charlotte (6 p.m.)
- Longest homestand: Seven games (Oct. 3-24), the longest season-opening homestand in franchise history.
- Texas returns: First regular-season meetings ever with the Stars, Oct. 10-11.
- New opponent: Hamilton Hammers visit Hershey on Nov. 11.
- Busiest month: Fourteen games in January, including a six-game road trip.
This year’s Bears schedule notably includes just three instances of three games in three days.
Single-game tickets and the club’s promotional schedule will be announced later this summer.
Hershey Bears full schedule
October
Oct. 3 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Charlotte Checkers — Giant Center
Oct. 4 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Charlotte Checkers — Giant Center
Oct. 10 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Texas Stars — Giant Center
Oct. 11 (Sun), 5:00 p.m. — vs. Texas Stars — Giant Center
Oct. 17 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Providence Bruins — Giant Center
Oct. 18 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Providence Bruins — Giant Center
Oct. 24 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Belleville Senators — Giant Center
Oct. 28 (Wed), 7:05 p.m. — at Rochester Americans — Blue Cross Arena
Oct. 30 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Toronto Marlies — Coca-Cola Coliseum
November
Nov. 1 (Sun), 5:00 p.m. — vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Nov. 4 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Hartford Wolf Pack — Giant Center
Nov. 6 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Springfield Thunderbirds — MassMutual Center
Nov. 7 (Sat), 6:05 p.m. — at Springfield Thunderbirds — MassMutual Center
Nov. 11 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Hamilton Hammers — Giant Center
Nov. 13 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Nov. 15 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Charlotte Checkers — Giant Center
Nov. 20 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Rochester Americans — Giant Center
Nov. 21 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Lehigh Valley Phantoms — PPL Center
Nov. 25 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Nov. 27 (Fri), 4:00 p.m. — at Charlotte Checkers — Bojangles Coliseum
Nov. 28 (Sat), 4:00 p.m. — at Charlotte Checkers — Bojangles Coliseum
December
Dec. 2 (Wed), 7:05 p.m. — at Lehigh Valley Phantoms — PPL Center
Dec. 5 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms — Giant Center
Dec. 6 (Sun), 3:05 p.m. — at Lehigh Valley Phantoms — PPL Center
Dec. 11 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Lehigh Valley Phantoms — PPL Center
Dec. 12 (Sat), 3:05 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Dec. 13 (Sun), 5:00 p.m. — vs. Charlotte Checkers — Giant Center
Dec. 18 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Dec. 19 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Dec. 27 (Sun), 3:05 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Dec. 30 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Rochester Americans — Giant Center
January
Jan. 2 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Cleveland Monsters — Giant Center
Jan. 3 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Cleveland Monsters — Giant Center
Jan. 6 (Wed), 6:30 p.m. — at Hartford Wolf Pack — PeoplesBank Arena
Jan. 8 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Providence Bruins — Amica Mutual Pavilion
Jan. 10 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Jan. 12 (Tue), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms — Giant Center
Jan. 15 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms — Giant Center
Jan. 16 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Toronto Marlies — Giant Center
Jan. 17 (Sun), 3:05 p.m. — at Lehigh Valley Phantoms — PPL Center
Jan. 22 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Syracuse Crunch — Upstate Medical University Arena
Jan. 23 (Sat), 5:05 p.m. — at Rochester Americans — Blue Cross Arena
Jan. 24 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — at Utica Comets — Adirondack Bank Center
Jan. 29 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Cleveland Monsters — Rocket Arena
Jan. 31 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — at Cleveland Monsters — Rocket Arena
February
Feb. 3 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms —Giant Center
Feb. 6 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Springfield Thunderbirds — Giant Center
Feb. 12 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Hartford Wolf Pack — Giant Center
Feb. 13 (Sat), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Hartford Wolf Pack — Giant Center
Feb. 19 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Hartford Wolf Pack — PeoplesBank Arena
Feb. 20 (Sat), 7:15 p.m. — at Hartford Wolf Pack — PeoplesBank Arena
Feb. 24 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Syracuse Crunch — Giant Center
Feb. 27 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Springfield Thunderbirds — Giant Center
Feb. 28 (Sun), 3:00 p.m. — vs. Springfield Thunderbirds — Giant Center
March
Mar. 3 (Wed), 6:35 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Mar. 6 (Sat), 4:00 p.m. — at Charlotte Checkers — Bojangles Coliseum
Mar. 7 (Sun), 1:00 p.m. — at Charlotte Checkers — Bojangles Coliseum
Mar. 13 (Sat), 7:05 p.m. — at Laval Rocket — Place Bell
Mar. 14 (Sun), 5:00 p.m. — vs. Laval Rocket — Giant Center
Mar. 17 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — at Hamilton Hammers — FirstOntario Centre
Mar. 19 (Fri), 7:00 p.m. — at Belleville Senators — CAA Arena
Mar. 20 (Sat), 3:00 p.m. — at Laval Rocket — Place Bell
Mar. 24 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Utica Comets — Giant Center
Mar. 26 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Mar. 27 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Giant Center
Mar. 30 (Tue), 8:00 p.m. — at Texas Stars — H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
Mar. 31 (Wed), 8:00 p.m. — at Texas Stars — H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
April
Apr. 3 (Sun), 7:05 p.m. — at Providence Bruins — Amica Mutual Pavilion
Apr. 4 (Sun), 3:05 p.m. — at Springfield Thunderbirds — MassMutual Center
Apr. 7 (Wed), 7:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms — Giant Center
Apr. 9 (Fri), 7:05 p.m. — at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — Mohegan Arena
Apr. 10 (Sat), 6:00 p.m. — vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms — Giant Center
Full schedule graphic
