NHL schedule features Stanley Cup rematch on Dec. 16, Stamkos' homecoming on Oct. 28
Florida Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk, left, and Kyle Okposo, right, celebrate with the Stanley Cup during an NHL hockey parade and rally, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win the championship series. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Newly relocated free agents Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault had big reasons to circle their calendars when the NHL released its full regular-season schedule on Tuesday. So, too, did newly hired coaches in Craig Berube, Sheldon Keefe and Dan Bylsma.
As for the Stanley Cup Final rematches, the defending champion Florida Panthers travel to play at Edmonton on Dec. 16. The two teams are scheduled to meet in Florida on Feb. 27 to complete their two-game series.
Here’s some highlights from the NHL’s 1,312-game schedule, which opens with the New Jersey Devils playing the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 4 and 5 in Prague, Czech Republic, and closes with a six-game slate on April 17.
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos reacts after his goal during the first period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. The Nashville Predators made a big splash in the opening minutes of NHL free agency by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack, File)
Player homecomings
A day after leaving Tampa Bay to sign with Nashville in free agency, Stamkos and the Predators are scheduled to travel to play the Lightning on Oct. 28. Meantime, Marchessault, who also signed with the Preds, will have to wait until April 12 for his first scheduled return to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights.
FILE - Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Nashville Predators made a big splash as NHL free agency opened Monday, July 1, by signing Stanley Cup champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in a jaw-dropping series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention across hockey.(AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
As for Jake DeBrusk, who left Boston to sign with Vancouver, he’ll be back in Beantown on Nov. 26 when the Bruins host the Canucks.
Coaching homecomings
The offseason coaching carousel also comes into play, and it starts with Lindy Ruff, back for a second stint in Buffalo, facing his most recent team, the Devils, in opening the schedule in Prague.
Former Maple Leafs coach Keefe, who is now in New Jersey, will see his ex-players at Newark on Oct. 10 in the Devils first game upon returning from Europe. Keefe will return to Toronto, where he spent the previous five seasons as the Maple Leafs head coach, on Jan. 16.
Former Blues Cup-champion coach Berube, and now with Toronto, will make his return to St. Louis on Nov. 2.
Bylsma, who is now in Seattle, will travel to face two of his former teams days apart during the Kraken’s five-game road trip. Bylsma will face his most recent team, the Sabres in Buffalo, on Jan. 11. Three days later, he’ll be in Pittsburgh, where he coached the Penguins to a title in 2009.
Taking breaks
The calendar will feature 16 days without NHL action after the formal regular season opens on Oct. 8.
No games are scheduled on U.S. Thanksgiving, Nov. 28. And the NHL’s annual Christmas break will run from Dec. 24-26.
The league is also taking a 12-day break from Feb. 10-21 to host its 4 Nations Face-Off, featuring teams from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland. The schedule closes with two games — Utah at Washington and Tampa Bay at Montreal — on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, and re-opens with a 14-game slate on Feb. 22.
The schedule will also feature seven days with one-game action, including Oct. 21, when the Lightning travel to play Toronto, and two days later when the Flyers travel to Washington.
The great outdoors
The NHL has already announced its two outdoor games, highlighted by the Chicago Blackhawks hosting the Blues at baseball’s Wrigley Field on Dec. 31. The Detroit Red Wings then travel to Columbus for a game at Ohio State’s so-called Horseshoe on March 1.
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