A few matchups on the Red Wings' schedule leaked out yesterday, but today the entire slate of games was revealed.
As we already found out, the Wings open the season against the Ducks on Oct. 8 at Joe Louis Arena. The next night they head to Chicago for the Blackhawks' first home game of the season. That night will definitely be interesting because the Blackhawks will have their banner-raising ceremony, giving fans even more of an opportunity to rub the Stanley Cup victory in the Wings' faces.
Detroit follows up the first couple games with the Avalanche at home and then a quick road trip to Dallas and Phoenix. After that there are a whole lot of home games on the schedule. To be exact, the Wings will have four straight home games before heading to northwest Canada for the usual Calgary-Edmonton-Vancouver road trip. Upon returning from the road trip, the Wings will have six consecutive home games, meaning of the first 18 games of the season, 12 are at Joe Louis Arena.
Montreal will come to Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 10 for the Wings' first home game of the season against an Eastern Conference team. In addition to Montreal, the Wings will welcome the Islanders (on New Year's Eve), Flyers, Devils, Rangers, Bruins, Capitals, Penguins and Maple Leafs to JLA. Detroit's away games with teams from the Eastern Conference will be against the Thrashers, Devils, Penguins, Senators, Bruins, Lightning (hello, Stevie Y.), Panthers, Sabres and Hurricanes.
The Red Wings will close out the schedule with the Blackhawks yet again. Chicago will come to Detroit on April 8 and the regular season will come to a close at United Center on Sunday, April 10.
All of the Red Wings' home games on weeknights this season will begin at 7 p.m. ET.
For a look at the entire schedule, check out the Wings' official site.