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The 2015-16 NHL regular season schedule has been released. Here’s the breakdown of the Leafs’ 82-game calendar.
Schedule Notes:
- Back to backs – 16, two fewer than last season’s 18.
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Detroit had only 12 last season, and will play 17 this year. The Bruins will play just eleven back to back sets. The full divisional breakdown:
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Red Wings – 17 (12)
Leafs – 16 (18)
Canadiens – 15 (16)
Sabres – 15 (19)
Senators – 14 (13)
Panthers – 14 (12)
Lightning – 13 (12)
Bruins – 11 (16)
I - Preliminary b2b rested and tired data courtesy @KatsHockey:
Last season, the Leafs played 13 games as the tired team and just five as the rested team. This year’s schedule is far more balanced, with 14 games playing rested against tired opponents and 12 games playing tired against rested teams.
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- Busiest month – 16 games in 31 days in March. Ten games are at home, including a six-game homestand that is the Leafs’ longest of the season.
I - Atlantic Division splits – In 2014-15, the Leafs played the Senators and Red Wings five times; this year, it’s the Bruins and Lightning five times. The Leafs will play the Canadiens, Wings, Senators, Panthers and Sabres four times each. Three of five games against the Lighting are at home; three of five against the Bruins are at TD Garden.
I - Metropolitan Division home/away splits – In the current NHL schedule, teams play each team from their Conference’s other division three times, with the home/away share flipping each season. For the Leafs, two of three games versus the Rangers, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals will be on the road. Two of three games versus the Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Devils and Islanders will be at home.
I - Longest road trip – Five games between February 6 and 15, including stops in Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Chicago. Last season’s longest road trip was a seven game stretch between December 21 and January 3.
I - Final game versus…. New Jersey – You have to go back ten years to find the last time the Leafs ended the season against a team not named the Senators or Canadiens, when the Leafs closed out their 2005-06 season versus Pittsburgh.
Notable Dates
- Friday, October 9th is Mike Babcock’s return to Detroit in the Leafs first road game of the season.
I - Monday, November 30th will be McDavid’s first game in Toronto, most likely. Be sure to grab your Maple Leafs tickets for that one.
I - Sunday December 27th will be the Leafs’ first ever game versus the Islanders in Brooklyn.
I - Wednesday, January 6th to Saturday January 9th is the annual California trip. The Leafs play the Blues (home), Ducks (away), Kings (away), Sharks (away), Blue Jackets (home) and Blackhawks (home) in their first seven games of January in what seems likely to be their toughest stretch of the schedule.
