The Chicago Blackhawks will open the 2012-13 regular season at the United Center. Now lets see if the season actually starts then.
The Blackhawks will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 13 as the NHL released teams regular-season schedules on Thursday morning. The Blackhawks will travel to Winnipeg in their next game, on Oct. 16.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins are among the Eastern Conference teams that will visit the United Center this season.
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The Phoenix Coyotes -- if theyre still in Arizona come autumn -- who ended the Blackhawks postseason in the first round, will be back in Chicago on Oct. 30. The Vancouver Canucks wont be here until Feb. 24.
The Blackhawks will still have their circus and ice show trips in November and February, respectively, and theyll also have a season-long, seven-game homestand from Feb. 15 (vs. Anaheim Ducks) to March 1 (vs. Minnesota Wild). The homestand equals the longest the franchise has ever had; also had it in 1926-27, 1951-52 and 1969-70 seasons.
Now, will the schedule be played in its entirety, partially or not at all? The current collective bargaining agreement expires in the fall and its uncertain how quicklyor slowlyit will take to get a new one in place and get the new season rolling.
Check back for the complete schedule.