The first look at the 2026/27 Nottingham Panthers comes with a proper early test. On Sunday 23rd August at 16:00, the Panthers open their pre-season schedule at the Motorpoint Arena against Ducs d'Angers, in what head coach Danny Stewart has already described as a really good examination of where his side is at.
That is a sensible way to frame a pre-season opener, because this is less about the scoreline and more about the shape of the team taking form. The Panthers are coming into the game with a number of familiar and returning names, and the matchup also carries a built-in narrative: Ducs d'Angers arrive in Nottingham after a 4-2 loss to Cardiff Devils at the Vindico Arena the night before, so they will already have some competitive rhythm in their legs.
A first glimpse of the new Panthers
There is added interest because this is the first chance for supporters to see how the 2026/27 Nottingham Panthers are coming together. Danny Stewart said the team is excited, and he also pointed to the early-season scheduling as a positive, noting that there are no back-to-backs in the first couple of weeks. That should give the group a better chance to settle into games without having to manage the immediate strain of two-match weekends.
The emotional pull is part of the occasion too. Stewart said it will be a great day and praised the response from supporters, with a huge crowd expected and only a handful of single seats left. For a pre-season game, that matters. It gives the Arena a proper edge and turns what could have been a routine warm-up into something much closer to a statement of intent.
Old links, new context
There is also a clear Nottingham thread running through the fixture. Jonathan Paredes and Alex Dubeau both have previous links to the city, which adds an extra layer to a game that is already about more than simple preparation. In pre-season, those connections can help turn a first meeting into something a little more personal, even if the real focus remains on systems, legs and timing.
The broader backdrop is a busy one, with the game sitting inside the Aladdin Cup and alongside the usual match-day promotions and charity presence. But the hockey angle is the key one: this is the Panthers’ first chance to establish rhythm, test combinations and see how the summer work translates onto the ice. Stewart called it a good test, and that feels exactly right. Early in pre-season, that is usually the best kind of fixture: one that reveals enough without pretending to settle anything too quickly.
For Nottingham, the result will matter less than the evidence. How quickly they connect, how sharp they look and how the returning pieces fit together will tell the real story. And after a long summer, that first answer is finally here.
