Capitals' 2009-10 Schedule Released

The NHL released its 2009-10 schedule today, and it's a Winter Olympics hockey season, so the schedule includes a 17-day break from play for the Caps beginning in mid-February. There's been some speculation that the November 28 game in Montreal could be contested in Olympic Stadium, but thus far we have no confirmation of that. If that were to happen it would be the Caps' first-ever game in a stadium. There'd be some irony to it, too, as Olympic Stadium was the the original home of the Washington Nationals, who arrived in D.C. from Montreal in 2004. The Expos played at Olympic Stadium from 1977 through 2003. While it used to be an outdoor stadium, its roof was officially closed in 1998 and will not be reopened for any game. The rest of the schedule follows. Highlights include home and road games against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 10 and Jan. 19, and a Super Bowl Sunday showdown with the Penguins on February 7. All home games are highlighted in bold. October Thurs., Oct. 1 at Boston 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 3 Toronto 7 p.m. Tues., Oct. 6 at Philadelphia 7 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 8 N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 10 at Detroit 7 p.m. Mon., Oct. 12 New Jersey 7 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 15 San Jose 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 17 Nashville 7 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 22 at Atlanta 7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 24 at N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m. Tues., Oct. 27 Philadelphia 7 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 29 at Atlanta 7 p.m. Fri., Oct. 30 N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m. November Sun., Nov. 1 Columbus 5 p.m. Wed., Nov. 4 at New Jersey 7 p.m. Fri., Nov. 6 at Florida 7:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 7 Florida 7 p.m. Wed., Nov. 11 N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m. Fri., Nov. 13 Minnesota 7 p.m. Sat., Nov. 14 at New Jersey 7 p.m. Tues., Nov. 17 at N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. Fri., Nov. 20 Montreal 7 p.m. Sat., Nov. 21 at Toronto 7 p.m. Mon., Nov. 23 at Ottawa 7:30 p.m. Wed., Nov. 25 Buffalo 7 p.m. Sat., Nov. 28 at Montreal 7 p.m. Mon., Nov. 30 at Carolina 7 p.m. December Thurs., Dec. 3 Florida 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 5 at Philadelphia 7 p.m. Mon., Dec. 7 at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 9 at Buffalo 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 11 Carolina 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 12 at Toronto 7 p.m. Tues., Dec. 15 at Colorado 9:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 18 at Vancouver 10 p.m. Sat., Dec. 19 at Edmonton 10 p.m. Wed., Dec. 23 Buffalo 7 p.m. Sat., Dec. 26 New Jersey 7 p.m. Mon., Dec. 28 Carolina 7 p.m. Wed., Dec. 30 at San Jose 10:30 p.m. January Sat., Jan. 2 at Los Angeles 4 p.m. Tues., Jan. 5 Montreal 7 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 7 Ottawa 7 p.m. Sat., Jan. 9 at Atlanta 7 p.m. Tues., Jan. 12 at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m. Wed., Jan. 13 at Florida 7:30 p.m. Fri., Jan. 15 Toronto 7 p.m. Sun., Jan. 17 Philadelphia 3 p.m. Tues., Jan. 19 Detroit 7 p.m. Thurs., Jan. 21 at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 23 Phoenix 7 p.m. Tues., Jan. 26 at N.Y. Islanders 7 p.m. Wed., Jan. 27 Anaheim 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 29 Florida 7 p.m. Sun., Jan. 31 Tampa Bay 3 p.m. February Tues., Feb. 2 at Boston 7 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 4 at N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 5 Atlanta 7 p.m. Sun., Feb. 7 Pittsburgh 12:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 10 at Montreal 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 11 at Ottawa 7 p.m. Sat., Feb. 13 at St. Louis 8 p.m. Olympic Break March Wed., March 3 at Buffalo 7 p.m. Thurs., March 4 Tampa Bay 7 p.m. Sat., March 6 N.Y. Rangers 7 p.m. Mon., March 8 Dallas 7 p.m. Wed., March 10 Carolina 7 p.m. Fri., March 12 Tampa Bay 7 p.m. Sun., March 14 at Chicago 7 p.m. Tues., March 16 at Florida 7:30 p.m. Thurs., March 18 at Carolina 7 p.m. Sat., March 20 at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m. Wed., March 24 Pittsburgh 7 p.m. Thurs., March 25 at Carolina 7 p.m. Sun., March 28 Calgary 3 p.m. Tues., March 30 Ottawa 7 p.m. April Thurs., April 1 Atlanta 7 p.m. Sat., April 3 at Columbus 7 p.m. Mon., April 5 Boston 7 p.m. Tues., April 6 at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m. Fri., April 9 Atlanta 7 p.m. Sun., April 11 Boston 3 p.m.