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. Live updates were available on Yahoo Sports and Audacy. The Blue Jackets' defenseman, Mikhail Provorov, was featured in a status report. Fans could track live game updates. Yahoo Sports provided stats and play-by-play. Viewers had multiple options to watch the game. These included NHL.com, Yahoo Sports, Audacy, and Athlon Sports.