The NHL has released the schedule of all 32 teams for the 2023-24 regular season.
The season will begin on Oct. 10 with a triple-header, as the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Nashville Predators to kick off the regular season at 5:30 p.m. EST. Then, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Chicago Blackhawks and whoever they select first overall at the NHL Draft—most likely Connor Bedard. Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights will finish off the night by hoisting their Stanley Cup banner and hosting the Seattle Kraken.
More interestingly on the schedule is what’s happening later that month, as on Oct. 24, the NHL will have all 32 teams in action. Not only that, but they seem to have finally listened to the fans and are staggering the start times. The Washington Capitals will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 6 p.m. EST, and then after the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets get underway at 6:30 p.m., a game will start every 15 minutes until 9:15 p.m, along with three more games at 9:45, 10:30, and 11 p.m. That’s right, games aren’t just starting at the top of the hour or the half-hour mark anymore.
This season’s outdoor matchups will be highlighted by the Kraken and Golden Knights facing off in Seattle’s first-ever outdoor game for the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. MetLife Stadium will also host two outdoor games, first between the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 17, and then the New York Rangers and New York Islanders on Feb. 18.
This year’s Global Series will see the Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings traveling to Stockholm, Sweden to play four games in four days from Nov. 16-19.
Other significant dates on the calendar include the first matchup between the two Connors—again, assuming Bedard goes to Chicago—as the Edmonton Oilers face the Blackhawks on Dec. 12, as well as the rematch between the 2023 Stanley Cup finalists when the Golden Knights travel to Florida to take on the Panthers on Dec. 23.
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