The NHL offseason is underway and while teams were shocked to see Ilya Kovalchuk retire and go to the KHL, franchises have bigger issues to worry about and now that the full schedule for next season has been released, teams can start planning on how they want to train and also how tough it will be in the new divisional league realignment.
The schedule was released from the NHL for this season and includes a number of outdoor games as well as new matchups due to the new conference realignment. Some teams will be switching conferences and other teams will have new divisional rivals as the schedule adds a number of games and features.
Here is the full schedule from the NHL and here are some features from NHL.com about the schedule:
"National television partners NBC, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TSN, TSN2, RDS and NHL Network once again will bring live NHL action to fans during the 2013-14 regular season."
2013 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown
NBC again this season begins its NHL broadcast coverage the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S. on Friday, November 29, with a 1 p.m. ET Original Six match-up featuring the New York Rangers against the Boston Bruins in the Bruins' traditional day-after-Thanksgiving home matinee at TD Garden.
2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic
* Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings - Michigan Stadium
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. ET -- NBC, CBC, RDS
Coors Light NHL Stadium Series
* Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings - Dodger Stadium
Saturday, Jan. 25, 9:30 p.m. ET -- NBC Sports Network, CBC
* New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils - Yankee Stadium
Sunday, Jan. 26, 12:30 p.m. ET -- NBC, CBC
* New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders - Yankee Stadium
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. ET -- NBC Sports Network
* Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks - Soldier Field
Saturday, March 1, 8 p.m. ET
2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic
* Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks - BC Place
Sunday, March 2, 4 p.m. ET -- CBC, RDS, NBC Sports Network
Olympic Break
The League's 1,230-game schedule will pause from Feb. 9-25, 2014, while NHL players comprise the majority of the rosters of the national teams competing in Sochi for Olympic gold. The NHL season resumes Wednesday, Feb. 26 with a slate of four games.
Schedule Notes
Training Camp Opens -- Wednesday, Sept. 11
Exhibition Games Begin -- Friday, Sept. 13
Regular Season Opens -- Tuesday, Oct. 1
Hall of Fame Game -- Friday, Nov. 8
Christmas Break -- Tuesday, Dec. 24 - Thursday, Dec. 26
Hockey Day In Canada -- Saturday, Jan. 18
Olympic Break -- Sunday, Feb. 9 - Tuesday, Feb. 25
Last Day of Regular Season -- Sunday, Apr. 13
Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin -- Wednesday, Apr. 16
Realignment
Effective this season, the NHL will operate under a new divisional alignment and scheduling matrix that ensures that all 30 teams play in all 30 arenas at least once a season. In creating more geographically-appropriate groupings, the NHL now has two eight-team divisions in the Eastern Conference and two seven-team divisions in the Western Conference:
WESTERN CONFERENCE EASTERN CONFERENCE
Pacific Division Central Division Metropolitan Division
Atlantic Division
Anaheim Chicago Carolina Boston
Calgary Colorado Columbus Buffalo
Edmonton Dallas New Jersey Detroit
Los Angeles Minnesota NY Islanders Florida
Phoenix Nashville NY Rangers Montreal
San Jose St. Louis Philadelphia Ottawa
Vancouver Winnipeg Pittsburgh Tampa Bay
Washington Toronto
For full 2013-14 regular-season schedules, including television information, please visit NHL.com/schedules.
