Hockey season is here.
The 2023-24 campaign is set to begin with the Vegas Golden Knights looking to lift the Stanley Cup again. The defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers will be out for revenge, while the Boston Bruins hope to rebound from a first-round loss after winning the Presidents' Trophy.
Before the season starts, it's important to know what major events are on tap.
Here are all the key dates for the 2023-24 NHL season:
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2023-24 NHL season start date, schedule
The 2023-24 season begins at Oct. 10, 2023.
There will be three games on opening night, featuring three playoff teams from 2023, an all-time great (Sidney Crosby) and the highly-touted No. 1 overall pick (Connor Bedard). Here's the opening night slate:
- Nashville Predators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 5:30 p.m. ET
- Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 8 p.m. ET
- Seattle Kraken vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m. ET
Back on the ice
Hockey returns on Oct. 10. Here's everything you might have missed this offseason.
2023-24 NHL season key dates
Oct. 29: 2023 NHL Heritage Classic
The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will face off at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Oct. 29. The outdoor facility is home of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Elks.
Nov. 16-19: NHL Global Series, Sweden
After the NHL Global Series began last month in the preseason in Melbourne, Australia, the league heads to Europe in November. Four teams will visit Stockholm, Sweden, to play a total of four games at Avicii Arena. Here's the schedule:
- Nov. 16: Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators
- Nov. 17: Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Nov. 18: Ottawa Senators vs. Minnesota Wild
- Nov. 19: Minnesota Wild vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Jan. 1: 2024 NHL Winter Classic
The annual New Year's Day outdoor event will head to Seattle for the first time this season. The Kraken and Golden Knights, after meeting on opening night, will play at T-Mobile Park -- home of MLB's Seattle Mariners -- as they both make their Winter Classic debuts.
Feb. 2-3: 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend
All-Star Weekend is headed north of the border to Toronto, where festivities will be held at Scotiabank Arena. It will be the first time since 2012 in Ottawa that a Canadian city will host. The NHL All-Star Skills Competition is set for Friday, Feb. 2, followed by the NHL All-Star Game on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Feb. 17-18: 2024 NHL Stadium Series
After outdoor games in Edmonton and Seattle, the fun continues in New Jersey. Over two days, four local teams will face off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The NFL's New York Jets and Giants' stadium has never held an NHL game. Here's the schedule:
- Feb. 17: Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils
- Feb. 18: New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders
March 8: Trade deadline
The final day to make trades for the 2023-24 season is March 8, 2024. That gives teams just over a month to get new players acclimated before the regular season ends.
April 18: End of regular season
Twelve teams will play on April 18 to wrap up the 2023-24 regular season.
April 22: Start of Stanley Cup Playoffs
While the full playoff schedule hasn't been announced, we do know when the quest for the cup begins: Monday, April 22, 2024.
