The National Hockey League has announced the opening game schedule for the 2016-2017 season.
Opening Games
The season will open on Wednesday, October 12 with four games. The Ottawa Senators will host the Toronto Maple Leafs, the St. Louis Blues will compete against the Blackhawks in Chicago, The Edmonton Oilers will host the Calgary Flames, and the Los Angeles Kings will compete in San Jose against the Sharks, the Western Conference champions. The Oilers’ opener will be their first regular season game at Rogers Place, their new arena.
Stanley Cup Champions to Compete
The Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, will host the Washington Capitals in their first game of the season on Thursday, October 13. They will celebrate their fourth Stanley Cup when they have a banner-raising ceremony. The Penguins beat the Capitals in the second round of the playoffs and have beaten them in each of their championships.
Other Early Home Games
On October 14, the Los Angeles Kings will compete in Philadelphia against the Flyers. The game will be part of the NHL’s commemoration of the 1967 expansion. This year will be the 50th season for the Flyers, Kings, Penguins, Blues, and Dallas Stars.
The Detroit Red Wings will begin their season when they travel to visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 13. This will be the Red Wings’ last season at Joe Louis Arena. They will move to a new facility for the 2017-2018 season.
The Anaheim Ducks will compete as the visiting team in four games before they play their first home game on October 23. The Carolina Hurricanes will not have their first home game until October 28 when they compete against the New York Rangers.
Changes to This Year’s Schedule
The season will begin later than usual this year because of the World Cup of Hockey, which will take place in Toronto from September 17 to October 1. The NHL will have a compressed schedule this year because of the World Cup and each team’s bye week.
The rest of the schedule will be released this week. It will include outdoor games in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Winnipeg, and Toronto.
Where to Order Tickets for the NHL’s Opening Games
Capital City Tickets has tickets available for these 2016-2017 NHL opening games, as well as other games throughout the season. If you are a hockey fan, order tickets today to see your favorite team compete.
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- October 12: St. Louis Blues @ Chicago Blackhawks, United Center in Chicago
- October 12: Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers, Rogers Place in Edmonton
- October 13: Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins, Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh
- October 13: Detroit Red Wings @ Tampa Bay Lightning, Amalie Arena in Tampa
- October 16: Anaheim Ducks @ New York Islanders, Barclays Center in New York
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