NHL unveils 2020-21 schedule
The NHL released each team's 56-game schedule for the 2020-21 season on Wednesday.
Here are the openers for each club:
The countdown to January 13 is on!
— NHL (@NHL) December 23, 2020
Full Schedule ➡️ https://t.co/Sb8ZnAFFYY pic.twitter.com/fPjP4qRg2q
As previously announced, the season will begin on Jan. 13. The NHL will usher in the campaign with a five-game slate, including a matchup between the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Lightning will raise their championship banner to the Amalie Arena rafters before the game.
Opening night will also see the Pittsburgh Penguins battle the Philadelphia Flyers; the Montreal Canadiens take on the Toronto Maple Leafs; the Edmonton Oilers clash with the Vancouver Canucks; and the Colorado Avalanche meet the St. Louis Blues.
Here are some additional games that deserve to be circled on any NHL fan's calendar:
| Date | Home team | Away team | Reason to circle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 14 | Rangers | Islanders | Lafreniere set to make NHL debut |
| Jan. 16 | Calgary | Vancouver | Markstrom faces former team for first time |
| Jan. 17 | Tampa Bay | Dallas | first Stanley Cup Final rematch |
| Jan. 26 | Vegas | St. Louis | Pietrangelo faces former team for first time |
| Jan. 30 | Buffalo | New Jersey | Hall faces former team for first time |
| Feb. 6 | Calgary | Edmonton | first Battle of Alberta |
The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings will play five consecutive games against each other between April 20 and May 1.
The regular season runs until May 8, with 15 games on tap for the final night of action before the playoffs. There is at least one game scheduled every day, which means that there will be 116 consecutive days of games played.
Despite Wednesday's schedule release, lawmakers and health officials in several Canadian provinces have yet to sign off on the NHL's North Division.