The WHL released its 782-game, 2025-26 regular-season schedule on Tuesday, including the 68 games the Royals will play
The expansion Penticton Vees will play their first Western Hockey League game at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against the Victoria Royals on Sept. 19.
The WHL released its 782-game, 2025-26 regular-season schedule on Tuesday, including the 68 games the Royals will play. The league said just under 80 per cent of the games will be played on weekends or holidays. The Royals will play 12 home games on Fridays, 11 on Saturdays, four on Sundays, three on Tuesdays and two each on Wednesdays and Thursdays. There are no home games scheduled for Mondays.
The Royals’ first away game is against the Vancouver Giants on Sept. 26 at the Langley Events Centre followed by a cross-strait return rematch the next night against the Giants at the Memorial Centre.
The Royals’ longest homestands will run five games at the Memorial Centre between Nov. 28 and Dec. 12 and from Jan. 1 to 10. The Royals embark on their longest road trip, through the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference, with six games between Jan. 16-24 in Brandon, Regina, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Swift Current.
The last game before the holiday break is on Dec. 19 in Langley versus the Giants. The Royals return from the break in Prince George and Penticton before meeting the Calgary Hitmen at the Memorial Centre in a New Year’s Day matinee.
Victoria concludes the regular season with back-to-back home games against the Prince George Cougars on March 20-21.
The playoffs begin on March 27.
This season, the WHL Central Division teams make their once-every-two years trip to the Island, with the defending league champion Medicine Hat Tigers scheduled for Oct. 18. The big question is whether 2026 projected first overall NHL draft pick Gavin McKenna will be there, or in the NCAA at Penn State or Michigan State.
The other Central Division teams coming to Blanshard Street are the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 14, the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Nov. 18, Calgary on Jan. 1 and the Red Deer Rebels on Jan. 31.