After a long summer, hockey is finally back with the puck set to drop on the 2016-17 NHL season this week. The action gets underway tonight with four games on the schedule. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators will renew the Battle of Ontario, the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks will square off (remember that the Blues ousted the Blackhawks in the playoffs last year), the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will engage in the Battle of Alberta and lastly, we’ll see the Los Angeles Kings visit the San Jose Sharks.
Every hockey fan is looking forward to seeing their favorite players and teams back in action and while there is a good chance you already know your team’s schedule off by heart, we have picked out a handful of games that every hockey fan will want to make sure they tune in to this year. Here is a look at four NHL games that every fan should have circled on their calendar for the 2016-17 season.
October 13th
Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins will raise their Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters without Sidney Crosby in their lineup as the captain continues to deal with concussion issues that could keep him out for the first few games of the season. It should provide extra motivation for the Capitals’ team that will be on hand watching the ceremonies before the game. Pittsburgh beat Washington in the second round of last year’s playoff so it should still be a fresh wound for Alex Ovechkin and company. Remember that Washington excelled in the regular season last year and is aiming to do everything possible to show that they’ve grown as a team. That means that matchups with Pittsburgh will be considered as litmus tests. Perhaps the Capitals have a little payback in mind with a chance to make a statement in their season opener.
October 19th
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets
It won’t take long for the top two picks in this year’s NHL Draft to line up against one another with Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine set to go head-to-head in the first full week of the season. Laine was outspoken about his belief that he should have been the first-overall pick and he will get his chance to prove it in front of the Winnipeg fans with the Maple Leafs in town on Wednesday. Both teams have the potential to improve dramatically this season so it will be an intriguing early test for both clubs. Hopefully this duo put on the show that all of us are hoping to see.
January 2nd
Chicago Blackhawks @ St. Louis Blues
The Winnipeg Jets will host the Edmonton Oilers in the Heritage Classic on October 23rd while the Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Detroit Red wings in the Centennial Classic on New Year’s Day but the one outdoor game we have circled on our calendar will feature the Blues and Blackhawks. St. Louis gets its chance to host an outdoor game at Busch Stadium and it will be the perfect venue for the growing rivalry between these teams to play out as they continue to battle for position in their division. These two teams will square off many times this season, including on opening night tonight.
March 2nd
Nashville Predators @ Montreal Canadiens
All eyes will be on P.K. Subban when he makes his highly anticipated return to Montreal following the offseason trade that saw him dealt to Nashville for Shea Weber. Canadiens fans were absolutely shocked when the deal went down and Subban recently opened up about the fact that he feels the deal had little to do with hockey and a lot to do with his personality. The city absolutely loves Subban so it will be fun to see him back in Montreal with a chance to stick it to his former team. He’s had a great time in Nashville so far, so he should be cool and relaxed by the time he returns home – even if he took a lot of criticism in Montreal.
