The NHL announced their 2010-11 schedule today. You can view the entire thing at NHL.com. Each team playes six games a piece against their division rivals, four games each against conference teams outside of their division, and 18 non-conference games. Each team plays each other at least once.
Here are a few of the highlights.
NHL Releases 2010-11 Schedule; Highlights Here
OPENING WEEKEND
The season begins on Thursday, October 7 in Helsinki, Finland. The Carolina Hurricanes will take on the Minnesota Wild. Later the same day, things get started in North America when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers to open the CONSOL Energy Center. Montreal also travels to Toronto that night, and Edmonton hosts Calgary.
San Jose, Boston, Minnesota and Phoenix will also start the season in Europe. The Blue Jackets and Sharks will play twice in Stockholm on October 8 and 9, while the Bruins and Coyotes will play on October 9 and 10 in Prague.
BLACKHAWKS HOIST BANNER
On October 9, the Chicago Blackhawks will face off against their rival Detroit Red Wings. Before the game, they'll raise a banner to the rafters, celebrating their 2009-10 Stanley Cup championship.
The Blackhawks and Flyers face off in the only Stanley Cup rematch of the season on January 23 at United Center in Chicago.
WINTER CLASSIC
Prepare to feel the wrath of the NHL hype machine in the weeks prior to January 1. As we've known for a few weeks now, the Washington Capitals will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the 2011 Winter Classic.
- In a second outdoor game on February 20, the Heritage Classic sees the Montreal Canadiens face off against the Calgary Flames at Calgary's McMahon Stadium. It might be cold.
- Also on February 20, Hockey Day In America.
- The All-Star Game wasn’t played last year due to the Olympics, but it makes it’s return on January 30. The Carolina Hurricanes are the host.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home for more than an entire month straight, playing 12 games from January 23 to February 25 at St. Pete Times Forum.
- Carolina, thanks to the State Fair in North Carolina and their opener in Europe, doesn’t debut at RBC Center in Raleign until October 27 against the Capitals.
- The season ends April 10.
- There isn’t a night where every team plays a game. The closest we get to that is October 30, where 28 teams play 14 games.
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