A Hot Ticket

There's always excitement when the NHL releases the schedule for the upcoming season and there are dates to look forward to and you can start your countdown to opening night. But sprinkled throughout the schedule are all kind of highlighted games. There's the obvious in facing a rival for the first time and figuring out which road trip you might want to take, or maybe its circling the calendar where your favorite player from an opposing team (yes, it's possible!) comes to down.
We scoured the
Devils 2021-22 regular-season schedule
to help you out and highlight a few games you might want to get out that pen and circle. The NHL today announced the start times for games,
which can be found here.pdf)
.

Oct. 19, 2021
Seattle at New Jersey
Right off the bat the Devils will play their first game against the Kraken when New Jersey hosts Seattle on Oct. 19, 2021. It's just the second game of the Devils regular season, and the Kraken lineup could feature two former Devils.
Both Nate Bastian (
Expansion Draft
) and Connor Carrick (Free Agency) have joined the newly minted franchise and could be on the ice in October. It will certainly be something to see Bastian line up against long-time friend
Mike McLeod
for the first time at the NHL level. The two worked their way through the junior ranks together with the Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) and were drafted the same year by New Jersey.
Oct. 26, 2021
Devils host Calgary
It might not be a normal matchup to be highlighted on the Devils schedule when they play against the Flames, but this year will carry a bit of extra weight.
This offseason, former (and beloved) Devil Blake Coleman signed a six-year deal with Calgary after winning two championships in Tampa Bay. This will also mark the first time that Coleman makes his way back to
Prudential Center
since he was traded to Tampa Bay on Feb. 16, 2020.
I'd expect a pretty big fan appreciation moment for Blake, who stole the hearts of many in this town.
Nov. 11, 2021
Islanders visit Devils
There are some 'ifs' involved in this game. But it could be a big one.
Former Devils captain Andy Greene returned to the
Prudential Center
for the first time last year after joining the Islanders. It was a really nice moment for the former captain, but perhaps he wasn't given his ultimate due with a limited capacity audience who provided him a standing ovation.
This time, there's a good chance that Greene will have a much bigger salute, and a 'send-off' he so rightly deserves.
What makes it even more interesting is that should Greene participate in every Islander game leading up to the Nov. 11 matchup, the game between his former and current team would make the 999th game of his NHL career. It's too bad there's not one extra game on the Islanders schedule to make it game 1,000, but it will be just on the horizon.
Dec. 23, 2021
Devils host Canadiens
There are many layers to this matchup, where friendships will certainly collide. We can start with Ty Smith and Canadien Brendan Gallagher. The two are basically inseparable during the offseason - Smith lives with Gallagher in Vancouver and this matchup would mark the first time in their NHL career's that the two match up against one another, something Gallagher talked about two summers
ago as Ty was getting ready to turn professional. 
Built on top of that will be a Jack Hughes versus Cole Caufield game. The two very good friends, who played with the USNTDP together, and will dress as opponents at the NHL level for the first time.
And of course there is Tomas Tatar playing against his former team for the first time, having spent the past three seasons playing in Montreal. He was in the top four in scoring every year he was with the franchise (he led the entire team during the 2019-20 season).
Jan. 15, 2022
Devils visit Canadiens
It's all the same as above, as the Devils travel to Montreal for the lone time this coming season, turning the tables on home-ice advantage between friendships.
This time though, it's Tatar returning to face his former team in front of his former home-crowd. And the intriguing thing about Montreal is that you never quite know what type of reception a returning player will get until the moment it happens. Will there be a standing ovation? A round of applause? Or just boos the moment the player touches the puck? It's often an amalgamation of all three.
It will be interesting to see what type of reception
Tatar
, who joined New Jersey as a free agent, will receive.
Jan. 22, 2022
Carolina visits New Jersey
The matchup is on between the top free agent prize and his former team. Dougie Hamilton will have the home-ice advantage when he suits up with New Jersey against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hamilton
spent three seasons in Carolina, leaving as the coveted free agent of the offseason. He'll be up against his former team for the first time.
Jan. 29, 2022
Devils Visit Hurricanes
Exactly one-week later
Hamilton
and the Devils travel to Carolina. A first appearance by Hamilton at his old arena, in front of his former home crowd.
Once again, the intrigue builds for what type of reception he'll receive.
Feb. 1, 2022
Devils Host Toronto
If the schedule remains the same and the league takes a hiatus for a three-week Olympic break, this game against the Maple Leafs will be the final game before the break.
Feb. 28, 2022
New Jersey Welcomes Vancouver
Don't look now, it's another edition of the Hughes vs. Hughes show. Jack's Devils play host to Quinn's Canucks in the third meeting between the two brothers at the NHL level.
So far Jack has one goal against his brother's Canucks; Quinn has one assist against New Jersey.
It won't be long before this is a Hughes and Hughes vs. Hughes matchup in a couple of years!
March 15, 2022
Vancouver Hosts New Jersey
Tables turn in this matchup with Quinn having the home-ice advantage over Jack.
April 16, 2022
One last notable stop along the 2021-22 schedule is a first ever trip to Seattle to face the Kraken. The Devils nearly bookend their season with the Kraken. They faced them in New Jersey in the second game of the season and will visit Seattle in their second to last week of the regular season with a chance to explore a new city and fanbase.

2021-22 Regular Season Schedule

Home games in bold