The Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets began their season with a matchup on October 1, 2026. The matchup featured lineup updates. NHL.com provided live coverage. Yahoo Sports and Audacy offered live updates. The Blue Jackets' defenseman, Mikhail Provorov, was featured in a status report. Live game updates were available. Yahoo Sports provided stats and play-by-play. The game was available on multiple platforms. These included NHL.com, Yahoo Sports, Audacy, and Athlon Sports.