NHL Announce Dates of Key Games in Upcoming 2016-17 Season

The NHL's 2016-17 regular season begins Oct. 12 with four games highlighted by the Edmonton Oilers' debut in their new arena, Rogers Place, against their provincial rivals, the Calgary Flames.

Also on opening night, the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators, the St. Louis Blues visit the Chicago Blackhawks and the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks host the Los Angeles Kings.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will raise their fourth Stanley Cup championship banner Oct. 13 before playing the Washington Capitals at Consol Energy Center.

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On Jan. 1, the Maple Leafs will play the Detroit Red Wings in the first-ever NHL Centennial Classic, an outdoor game at BMO Field in Toronto. The game will be the start of a year-long centennial celebration featuring a variety of ceremonies, recognitions, observances and special events highlighting 100 years of NHL hockey. It's also a rematch of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, which saw the Maple Leafs and Red Wings play before a record crowd of 105,491 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

One day later, the Blues will play the Blackhawks in the 2017 Winter Classic at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. 

There are two other outdoor games as well: the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and Oilers at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg on Oct. 23, and the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Feb. 25.

The NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles runs from Jan. 27-30, with the skills competition on Jan. 28 and the All-Star Game on Jan. 29.

The regular season concludes April 9 with 20 of the 30 teams scheduled to play. The Red Wings will play their final two regular-season games at Joe Louis Arena on April 8-9; they are moving to Little Caesars Arena for the 2017-18 season.

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