The 2014-15 NHL season begins on October 8 with four games. It ends on April 11. Here are the highlights.
The NHL released the 2014-15 NHL schedule on Sunday afternoon. Let the countdown begin!
The season begins with four games on Wednesday, October 8 and ends on April 11, with the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs kicking off later that week on a date to be determined later. The Los Angeles Kings will raise their 2013-14 Stanley Cup banner at Staples Center on October 8 against the rival San Jose Sharks, and the New York Rangers will unveil their Eastern Conference title banner on Sunday, October 12 when they play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
NBC Sports Network will continue broadcasting games nationally in the United States, primarily on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Their "Wednesday Night Rivalry" that's only sometimes actually a rivalry will continue in 2014-15, and NBC proper will pick up Sunday afternoon games beginning in January. The full NBC broadcast schedule has not yet been released.
Rogers picks up national broadcast rights in Canada beginning in 2014-15, and they'll broadcast some 500 games on a ton of different networks across Canada all season. Hockey Night In Canada remains on CBC but will be produced by Rogers, so it might feel a bit different. It'll definitely be a new era of hockey on TV in Canada.
You can find the entire NHL schedule here. Follow the SB Nation blog covering your favorite team for a full breakdown on the team-by-team level. Let's run through some major storylines and big games that highlight the 2014-15 NHL schedule.
Capitals vs. Blackhawks in the Winter Classic
Friday's news that the Chicago Blackhawks will travel to the nation's capital to take on the Washington Capitals in the 2015 Winter Classic was confirmed by the NHL's schedule release. The game will be played on New Year's Day, although we still do not know the venue of the game. It's seems likely to be Nationals Park in Washington, but that's not a guarantee.
There might be more outdoor games announced, but the schedule release did not shed any light on that subject.
The All-Star Game returns!
Columbus will host the 2015 NHL All-Star Game on January 25. It's the first time the league has had an All-Star Game since 2012 in Ottawa. The Blue Jackets were scheduled to host the 2013 All-Star Game, but it was canceled due to the 2012-13 NHL lockout. There was no game in 2013-14 because of the Winter Olympics. The All-Star Weekend will again feature the skills competition and a player draft, an idea that's pretty awesome and unique. The NFL agrees so much that they ripped it off.
Stanley Cup rematch in January
The Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers face off in a Stanley Cup Final rematch on Thursday, January 8 at Staples Center. They'll also face off in New York on Tuesday, March 24.
Black Friday game continues with Flyers-Rangers
Nurse that Turkey hangover on Black Friday, November 28 with some hockey. NBC started this game several years ago, and it's become the game that kicks off their national broadcast schedule each year. They call it the "Thanksgiving Showdown" and it's the perfect way to spend the day after Thanksgiving. Do your shopping on the Internet and watch some the Flyers and Rangers at 1 p.m. ET.
The Arizona Coyotes!
We have a team changing names this season. Kind of. The Phoenix Coyotes will become the Arizona Coyotes for the 2014-15 season -- officially, the name changes at the 2014 NHL Draft on June 27 -- as part of the agreement they made with the City of Glendale on a new lease at Jobing.com Arena.
Naturally, they'll play their first regular season game as the Arizona Coyotes against the Winnipeg Jets. That's on Thursday, October 9 in Glendale.
Familiar faces meet old friends
Free agency hasn't started yet, so we don't know where a lot of players will move this offseason. But we'll have Brad Richards first game back in New York at some point in 2014-15, as well as Ryan Callahan's first game back at Madison Square Garden. Thomas Vanek will face off against the Canadiens, Paul Stastny might wind up playing against the Colorado Avalanche, Matt Niskanen against the Penguins, etc.
We'll have to keep an eye on the schedule come July 1 once free agency begins, and then we can mark these dates down on the calendar.
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