WATERLOO, Ont. -- The Golden Hawks men's hockey team are looking to rebound from a tough year and have a clear view of the way forward as the OUA announced the 2025-26 season schedule. 

"We're starting to add some very good recruits now and seeing the schedule also coming together really ramps up the excitement when looking ahead to next season," manager of men's hockey operations and head coach Kevin Forrest said. 

One thing is for certain though, the road will still be challenging as the team faces mostly the same opponents. However, the OUA shook up what the divisions will look like, swapping the York Lions from the East division to the West in exchange for the Nipissing Lakers.  

A major change was also made in that the season features only divisional matchups, meaning the Golden Hawks no longer have to play teams in the Eastern division.  

"The obvious result of the change is a lot less travel, but at the end of the day, every night will be a battle within the division as we play some very good teams as many as three or four times now," said Forrest. 

With the adjustment, the Golden Hawks are set to play the Toronto Varsity Blues, Western Mustangs, Lakehead Thunderwolves, and Lions four times, while playing the TMU Bold and Guelph Gryphons three times. 

On Thursday, October 2, the Golden Hawks drop the puck for opening night in Toronto against the Bold. It will be the fourth time in five years that Laurier has started their season on the road. 

The Golden Hawks opening weekend will by no means ease them into the season. Still in Toronto, they visit the Varsity Blues two days later. Last year, the Bold and Blues were first and second, respectively, in the West with the Bold being Queen's Cup finalists and settled for fourth place in the U SPORTS championship, while the Blues finished as semifinalists in the Queen's Cup. 

The purple and gold come back to the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex for their home opener on Thursday, October 9 at 7pm to face the newest member of the West division in the Lions. Last year's matchup saw the Golden Hawks snap their six-game skid against York.  

Laurier continues their home weekend with a visit from the Windsor Lancers who were third in the division a year ago. 

The Hawks hit the road for a quick trip to see the Varsity Blues before returning home for a Sunday game against the Brock Badgers on October 19 at 5pm. The teams split the season series, with Laurier's win a result of overtime heroics. They are still the underdog as they are 3-7 in their last ten games against Brock. 

On Friday, October 24 at 7pm, the Guelph Gryphons come to town to reignite the Highway 7 rivalry. The Gryphons swept the season series and extended Laurier's losing streak to five in head-to-head games.  

Another quick road trip will see the Golden Hawks head west on the 401 to visit the Western Mustangs for a matinee, and again 12 days later for their second of four.  

They return home for a matchup against the Bold, and the Lions on October 30 and November 1, with both games set for 7pm. 

The Battle of Waterloo returns on Saturday, November 8 as the Golden Hawks cross University Avenue to CIF Arena to see the Waterloo Warriors. The Warriors won all three meetings last season, with Laurier suffering their first shutout loss to their cross-town rivals since 2008-09.  

York and Laurier will no doubt be well acquainted with each other almost midway through the season, playing their third of the four-game season series to complete the three-game road trip.  

They then start a three-game homestand against the Blues, Thunderwolves, and familiar foes the Mustangs to wrap up the first half of the 2025-26 season on November 21, 22, and 27, all at 7pm. 

After a six-week break, the Golden Hawks are up north in Thunder Bay for a two-game set against the Thunderwolves, then play their fourth and final game against each other a week later in Waterloo as part of a busy calendar week that includes a brief visit to TMU and the last game against the Mustangs. 

The Golden Hawks fly the coop for two games before opening a weekend homestand against the Varsity Blues and the second round of the Battle of Waterloo on Saturday, February 7 at 7pm, also marking Senior Day to celebrate the contributions of the graduating student-athletes to the program. 

Laurier concludes the regular season on the road against the Lions and Gryphons on February 13 and 14. 

Golden Hawks men's hockey season tickets can be purchased here, and single game tickets are available here.  

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