2018-19 NHL schedule released

NEW YORK - The NHL's 2018-19 regular season will commence Wednesday, Oct. 3, with a four-game slate, highlighted by the Washington Capitals raising their first Stanley Cup championship banner before facing the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena. The 1,271-game regular-season schedule - 82 games per team - will conclude Saturday, April 6, 2019.
The other three games on the first night of the 2018-19 season include the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena; the Vancouver Canucks hosting the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena; and the San Jose Sharks playing host to the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center.

The Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers are both celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2018-19.
The Panthers will open their season on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning at AMALIE Arena on Saturday, Oct. 6, exactly 25 years after their first-ever NHL regular-season game in Chicago (FLA 4, CHI 4, Oct. 6, 1993).
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The Ducks will play their home opener against the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center on Monday, Oct. 8, exactly 25 years after the franchise's first-ever NHL regular-season game, also played at home against Detroit (DET 7, ANA 2, Oct. 8, 1993).
Four teams will participate in the 2018 NHL Global Series and play regular-season games in Europe. The Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils will play their 2018-19 season-opening game against each other in Gothenburg, Sweden on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Scandinavium. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will face off in a pair of regular-season games at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland on Thursday, Nov. 1 and Friday, Nov. 2.
A rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 10 when the Washington Capitals play host to the Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One Arena.
The 2018 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown will take place on Friday, Nov. 23, when the Philadelphia Flyers host the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center.
On New Year's Day, the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will feature the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins outdoors at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., home of the Fighting Irish. The game continues the tradition the League established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the onset of the new year.
The League's regular-season schedule will pause from Jan. 24-27 when the world's top players gather in San Jose for the 2019 NHL All-Star weekend at SAP Center, which will include the NHL All-Star Skills Competition™ on Friday, Jan. 25 and the NHL All-Star Game on Saturday, Jan. 26. The 2018 NHL All-Star returns to a 3-on-3 tournament format after successful games in Nashville (2016), Los Angeles (2017) and Tampa (2018). Under the tournament rules, the NHL All-Star Game will be divided into three 20-minute games, with star players from each NHL division making up the four All-Star teams: Pacific, Central, Atlantic, and Metropolitan.
Saturday, Feb. 9 will mark Hockey Day in Canada, and will feature all seven Canadian teams in action. Hockey Day in America will be celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 17 and will feature six games, with the first starting at 12:30 p.m. ET and the sixth at 9 p.m. ET.
On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Philadelphia Flyers will play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors at the 2019 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ at Lincoln Financial Field in an intrastate rematch of the 2017 edition, won by Pittsburgh 4-2 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
The 2018-19 regular season will conclude Saturday, April 6, when 30 of the League's 31 teams take to the ice.

Reminder: Scheduling Matrix

The scheduling matrix ensures that all 31 teams play in all 31 arenas at least once each season:
The following notes show the opponents by team (totaling 41 home / 41 away per team), based on each team's respective division and conference.

Eastern Conference (Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions - 8 Teams each)

Each Division has 8 teams
Within Division
7 teams x 2 home / 2 away (Subtotal 14 home / 14 away)
Within Conference (Non-Division)
4 teams x 2 home / 1 away (Subtotal 8 home / 4 away)
4 teams x 1 home / 2 away (Subtotal 4 home / 8 away)
Non-Conference
15 teams x 1 home / 1 away (Subtotal 15 home / 15 away) Grand Total 41 home / 41 away

Western Conference (Central Division - 7 teams)

Within Division
4 teams x 2 home / 2 away (Subtotal 8 home / 8 away)
1 team x 3 home / 2 away (Subtotal 3 home / 2 away)
1 team x 2 home / 3 away (Subtotal 2 away / 3 home)
Within Conference (Non-Division)
4 teams x 2 home / 1 away (Subtotal 8 home / 4 away)
4 teams x 1 home / 2 away (Subtotal 4 home / 8 away)
Non-Conference
16 teams x 1 home / 1 away (Subtotal 16 home / 16 away) Grand Total 41 home / 41 away

Western Conference (Pacific Division - 8 teams)

A. 4 of the 8 teams in Pacific Division
Within Division
6 teams x 2 home / 2 away (Subtotal 12 home / 12 away)
1 team x 3 home / 2 away (Subtotal 3 home / 2 away)
Within Conference (Non-Division)
3 teams x 2 home / 1 away (Subtotal 6 home / 3 away)
4 teams x 1 home / 2 away (Subtotal 4 home / 8 away)
Non-Conference
16 teams x 1 home / 1 away (Subtotal 16 home / 16 away) Grand Total 41 home / 41 away
B. 4 of the 8 teams in Pacific Division Within Division
Within Division
6 teams x 2 home / 2 away (Subtotal 12 home / 12 away)
1 team x 2 home / 3 away (Subtotal 2 home / 3 away)
Within Conference (Non-Division)
4 teams x 2 home / 1 away (Subtotal 8 home / 4 away)
3 teams x 1 home / 2 away (Subtotal 3 home / 6 away)
Non-Conference
16 teams x 1 home / 1 away (Subtotal 16 home / 16 away) Grand Total 41 home / 41 away

Schedule Notes

Regular Season Opens: Wednesday, Oct. 3
Christmas Break: Monday, Dec. 24 - Wednesday, Dec. 26
All-Star Break: Thursday, Jan. 24 - Sunday, Jan. 27
Last Day of Regular Season: Saturday, April 6