NHL - Playoffs Schedule 2010-11
There is a lot to look forward to for all hockey fans this season, as the National Hockey League announced their new schedule for the playoffs 2010/11.
The League’s annual North American launch event, the NHL face-off, will again be a popular feature of the opening night on October 7.
Meanwhile, Penguin fans will be experiencing an adrenaline rush at home games this season as the Pittsburgh Penguins will inaugurate their new home, the 18,087-capacity CONSOL Energy Centre, replacing the Mellon Area that has been used since their inception in 1967, on October 7th. They will clash against the Philadelphia Flyers to open their account. But this will not be the only new attraction for Penguin fans as on New Year’s Day, the Pittsburgh Penguins will clash against the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field - home of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic – the best new sporting event in the last decade, according to the Forbes Magazine. This will be the second meeting between the staunch rivals in 10 days, as they start their contentious series on Thursday, December 23rd at Washington’s Verizon Centre.
To highlight the inaugural weekend of the 2010/11 NHL regular season, the Chicago Blackhawks are going to be raising a Stanley Cup banner to the United Centre ceiling on Saturday, October 9.
The League’s most often-contested rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks will see its 10th game, and unless you are a glory hunter that decides sides in the last minutes, this will be one nail-biting clash!
Fans will get the opportunity to salute the start of the season at a hockey and entertainment festival in Toronto, prior to the Montreal Canadians’ visit to the Toronto Maple Leafs home ground.
During the same night, the “Battle of Alberta” will resume in Edmonton where the Calgary Flames will be visiting the Oilers, and the Blackhawks visit the Avalanche in Colorado.
The 2009/10 campaign marks the fourth consecutive season of business growth, generating the League’s highest playoff TV ratings in 36 years. Striking increases across a plethora of digital platforms where the games on two continents and five countries will feature the first weekend of the 1,230 games in the 2010/11 schedule.
The regular season schedule will begin in Europe for a record six teams – in addition to contests in the United States and Canada - including the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild in Helsinki, Finland. Sharks and Blue Jackets will play against each other in Sweden. The Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes will face-off in Prague, Czech Republic.
In January, the League schedule will pause form January 27 to February 1st as the Hurricanes’ home venue in Raleigh, North Carolina hosts the All-Star festivities for the very first time.
As per NHL rules, its scheduling board requires each team to play six games in opposition to each team of its own division, making a total of 24 games. 4 games are to be played between the non-division teams inside its conference, totalling to18 non-conference games and 40 conference games. The schedule also requires a minimum of one game to be played against the other conference by each club.
John MacLean will make his regular-season debut as the Devils’ coach, and Jason Arnot will mark his return to the club on October 8th when New Jersey hosts Dallas.
Scott Arniel will be another coach making his regular season debut as coach of the Blue Jackets against San Jose in Stockholm on October 8th, whereas Guy Boucher will debut as head coach of the Lightning when Tamba Bay hosts’ Atlanta on October 9th.
On February 14th, GM Steve Yzerman and the Lightning will be home to the Detroit Red Wings. As per the schedule, Tampa Bay gets to own the season’s longest home-stand from January 23rd to February 25th, whereas the cross-state rivalry between Florida and Tamba Bay will be witnessed on October 16th. New GMs, Yzerman in Tampa and dale Tallon in Florida, will lead the two sides.
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