The NHL has revealed the 2023-24 regular season schedule, set to begin on Tuesday, October 10th, with three exciting games. The league's opening night will feature a special event as the Vegas Golden Knights raise their Stanley Cup banner before facing off against the Seattle Kraken at T-Mobile Arena at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Nashville Predators on the same day at 5:30 p.m. ET, and the Chicago Blackhawks will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. ET.
On Wednesday, October 11th, the Chicago Blackhawks will hit the road to face the Boston Bruins at 7:30 ET, while the Los Angeles Kings will host the Colorado Avalanche.
The 2023-24 season will include 1,312 regular-season matches and conclude on April 18th.
NHL 2023-24 Dates You Cannot Ignore
Below are some notable matchups to anticipate in the upcoming 2023-24 season:
Outdoor Hockey Action
The NHL has revealed that the 2024 NHL Stadium Series will occur at MetLife Stadium in February. This two-day event will showcase four rival teams.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, the New Jersey Devils will host the Philadelphia Flyers in an outdoor night game. On Sunday, Feb. 18, the New York Islanders will host the New York Rangers at a time yet to be determined.
This event will be the first time four NHL teams have played outdoor games at the same venue in front of fans. The games will be televised on ESPN.
The Stadium Series event will be a part of the NHL outdoor game schedule for the 2023-24 season. This schedule will also feature the Heritage Classic, which will be held on October 29 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Additionally, the NHL Winter Classic will take place on January 1, 2024, at Seattle's T-Mobile Park, featuring the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken.
The NHL expects that each game will have an attendance of more than 75,000. At present, the third-largest crowd for an outdoor game occurred during the 2019 Winter Classic at the University of Notre Dame, with a total of 76,126 attendees.
Championship Banner/Season Opener
On the opening night of the 2023-24 season, the Golden Knights, reigning champions of the Stanley Cup, will proudly raise their championship banner as they face off against Matty Beniers, the Calder Trophy winner, and the Seattle Kraken.
After a dominant 9-3 win against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, Vegas will be eager to defend their title and achieve back-to-back championships, as you can guarantee sports handicappers will be flocking to back the reigning champs.
On the other hand, Seattle aims to continue their success from the previous season, where they made it to the Western Conference Second Round in the NHL. They won’t be favored at the sportsbooks. Still, they’ll be hungry to prove a point against the creme de la creme of professional hockey and alongside the most noteworthy betting promos, will provide excellent value.
NHL Global Series
The teams participating in a series of regular-season games at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, are the Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and Ottawa Senators. On Nov. 16, the Red Wings will face the Senators, followed by a game against the Maple Leafs on Nov. 17. The Wild will play against the Senators on Nov. 18, and the series will conclude with a match between the Wild and the Maple Leafs on Nov. 19.
HOF Meeting
The 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Class encompasses goaltender Mike Vernon, renowned for his tenure with the Flames from ‘82 to ‘94 and his triumph in securing the Stanley Cup alongside his team in 1989. As part of the Hall of Fame induction weekend, Calgary will face one of their prominent adversaries at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, confronting Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs.
Revisiting the Stanley Cup Final
The first matchup between the Panthers and Golden Knights since the Stanley Cup Final will occur a few months into the season at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Despite barely making it into the playoffs, the Panthers made it to the Final before being defeated by the Golden Knights. Additionally, the teams will face each other again at T-Mobile Arena on January 4th.
NHL 2023/24: A season to remember
The regular season for the 2023-24 NHL season will come to an end on Thursday, April 18th. ESPN, Turner Sports, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports have been chosen as the national broadcast partners for the season and will offer extensive coverage throughout. More information regarding the broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.
