On New Year's Day, the Maple Leafs will play host to the Detroit Red Wings in the first-ever NHL Centennial Classic™, an outdoor game at BMO Field in Toronto. This contest will serve as the start of a yearlong centennial celebration featuring a variety of ceremonies, recognitions, observances and special events highlighting 100 years of NHL hockey. The game also will be a rematch of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, which saw the Maple Leafs and Red Wings rekindle their Original Six™ rivalry in front of a record crowd of 105,491 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The following day - Monday, Jan. 2 - the Blues will face the Blackhawks in the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Two more outdoor games will dot the 2016-17 regular-season schedule: the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ between the Winnipeg Jets and Oilers on Sunday, Oct. 23, at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, and the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
The League's regular-season schedule will pause from Jan. 27-30 so the world's top players can gather in Los Angeles for the 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend. The 2017 NHL All-Star Game will be the third time the NHL All-Star activities will take place in Los Angeles.
The 2016-17 regular season will conclude Sunday, April 9, when 20 of the League's 30 teams take to the ice. That weekend will include the Red Wings' final two regular-season games at Joe Louis Arena - April 8 and 9 - prior to their move to Little Caesars Arena in 2017-18.
Reminder: Scheduling Matrix
The scheduling matrix ensures that all 30 teams play in all 30 arenas at least once each season:
Eastern Conference (8-Team Divisions)
Within Conference (Division): 30 games
* 5 games vs. two teams (3 Home/2 Away vs. one team, 2 Home/3 Away vs. one team) AND 4 games vs. five teams (2 Home/2 Away). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.
* 5 x 2 = 10 games
* 4 x 5 = 20 games
Within Conference (Non-Division): 24 games
* 3 games vs. each team (2 Home/1 Away vs. four teams, 1 Home/2 Away vs. four teams). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.
* 3 x 8 = 24 games
Non-Conference: 28 games
* 2 games vs. each team (1 Home/1 Away).
* 2 x 14 = 28 games
Western Conference (7-Team Divisions)
Within Conference (Division): 29 games
* 5 games vs. five teams (3 Home/2 Away vs. two teams, 2 Home/3 Away vs. three teams) AND 4 games vs. one team (2 Home/2 Away). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.
* 5 x 5 = 25 games
* 1 x 4 = 4 games
Within Conference (Non-Division): 21 games
* 3 games vs. each team (2 Home/1 Away vs. four teams, 1 Home/2 Away vs. three teams). Teams rotated on a yearly basis.
* 3 x 7 = 21 games
Non-Conference: 32 games
* 2 games vs. each team (1 Home/1 Away).
* 2 x 16 = 32 games
Exception: One team from each division plays one less game inside division and one more game inside conference outside division.
Schedule Notes
Regular Season Opens: Wednesday, Oct. 12
Christmas Break: Saturday, Dec. 24 - Monday, Dec. 26
All-Star Break: Friday, Jan. 27 - Monday, Jan. 30
Last Day of Regular Season: Sunday, April 9
