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2016-17 Predators Schedule Review

June 22, 2016, 11:24 AM ET [11 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The schedule is out, and with that, the annual schedule review. There are some interesting quirks in the sked, mostly driven by two factors… the delay in the season start due to the World Cup of Hockey and the new “5 day break” that is mandated to be scheduled inside the season. That drives 13 back-to-backs for Nashville, including three of them at home. I will break it down by month…

October (8 games - 3 home, 5 away) – Well, the schedule makers did the Preds no favors as the team is dunked in it from the jump as all eight games in October are against playoff teams from last season… including the two teams that tangled for the Cup. The Preds open the season at home on Friday October 14th as the front end of a back to back, home and home with the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago opens the season two days earlier in St. Louis. The Preds come back home to take on Dallas on 10/18 before a Friday/Saturday back-to-back at Detroit then hosting the defending Cup Champ Pittsburgh Penguins. Then it’s time for the CMA Road Trip, one of two five game roadies on the schedule… as usual, the Predators head west, going to Anaheim, Los Angeles and finishing the month in San Jose.

November (14 games – 7 home, 7 away) – The CMA Road Trip rolls on as November continues the opening stretch of 7 of 10 away from the friendly confines of Smashville with games at Colorado and Arizona before returning home for one of two four game home stands in the season as the Preds host Carolina, Ottawa, St. Louis and Anaheim before what has become their normal mid-November visit to Canada, taking on Toronto on the 15th and the Senators on the 17th before heading to St. Louis to close out the roadie and come home for three games in Smashville during Thanksgiving week. Monday against Tampa, Wednesday against Dallas and a Black Friday game with Winnipeg that has a 5pm central start time. Nashville finishes November on the road with games in Winnipeg and Colorado.

December (14 games – 9 home, 5 away) – Seven of 14 games against the Central Division as Nashville begins December with three games in four days at home… a back-to-back… a 1pm Saturday start against New Jersey, followed by a 5pm Sunday start against Philadelphia, closing out with a Tuesday tilt against Colorado before hitting the road for two… 12/8 in Dallas and 12/10 in Arizona. The Arizona game is going to be the SlapShot Radio Road Trip, so keep an eye on SSR’s Facebook page for more info on the trip. The Preds return home for three taking on St. Louis, Minnesota and the New York Rangers, then head out for a back-to-back in the northeast, playing at Philly and at New Jersey before heading home for the holidays. Nashville gets to stay home over Christmas as they play Los Angeles on Thursday 12/22, then Minnesota on the 27th and Chicago on the 29th before finishing the month in St. Louis on the 30th.

January – (14 games – 5 home, 9 away) – The Predators will be home for New Year’s, as they are idle on New Year’s Eve through Monday Jan. 2. They start 2017 at home against Montreal before beginning a grueling eight out of ten on the road stretch that takes the team to Tampa and Florida on a back-to-back, home for two against Vancouver and Boston, then out for five as they head to Colorado, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Minnesota before coming home for two prior to All-Star Weekend, playing Buffalo and Columbus. The month ends with a tilt in Pittsburgh directly after All-Star Weekend. In reviewing the schedule, this may be the toughest month for Nashville, in a close race with October.

February – (13 games – 9 home, 4 away) – The Predators start the always critical month of February with a stretch of five of six games at home, playing Edmonton, Detroit and Vancouver before heading up for a single game at MSG to take on the Rangers. Returning home for the second of three home back-to-backs, Saturday 2/11 against Florida at 1pm, then Sunday at 5pm against Dallas. The Predators then get their five day bye week before returning to the ice the following Saturday in Minnesota, then heading to Columbus on Sunday. The second four game home stand commences the following Tuesday, packed into six days as the Preds host Calgary and Colorado before the third home back-to-back of the season, Saturday against Washington, Sunday against Edmonton, both with 4pm start times. The Predators finish February in Buffalo.

March – (14 games – 6 home, 8 away) – Nashville begins March with a trip to Montreal, the second game in a nasty stretch of seven of nine games on the road. They come home for a Saturday night tilt against Chicago before heading out to the West Coast for games in Anaheim, LA and San Jose… then home for a Monday nighter against Winnipeg. Two more on the road follows, at Washington and Carolina. The team then finishes March with four of six at home, Arizona, Calgary and San Jose come to town before the Preds go north to take on the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins before finishing the month at home with Toronto.

April – (5 games – 2 home, 3 away) – The final stretch sees four of the last five against Central Diviso opponents… a 1pm April Fools Day match against Minnesota at Bridgestone Arena, at St. Louis the next night, finishing the last back-to-back of the season. The home finale is Tuesday April 4 as the Islanders come to town then the season finishes with games at Dallas and Winnipeg.

Schedule Highlights

Longest Road Trip – There are two five gamers, the annual CMA Trip in late October/early NOvenber and another five game one in January

Longest Home Stand – There are two four game home stands in the season, one in November, one in February,

Home for the Holidays – While there are a couple of nasty road stretches for Nashville, the Predators will not have to travel over any of the major holidays. They are home for Thanksgiving week, Christmas Week and the New Year’s Holiday.

Back-To-Backs – 13 of them in total… three of them at home, four of them are split between home and away, the rest sees both games on the road.

Dates to Circle

- First Chance for little-read members of the Chicago Media to Whine About Ticket Policies – No time to waste… start early as the Preds open the season at home on 10/14 against the Blackhawks.

- The Last Go at The Joe – The Predators play their final regular season game at Joe Louis Arena on October 21st

- Rematch – The Predators get their first chance at revenge on October 29th as they visit SAP Center to take on the Sharks.

- Road Trip!!!! – The 5th Annual SlapShot Radio Road Trip is set for December 10th in the desert. We will have a chance to see Glendale’s arena before the Coyotes leave it for new digs downtown. For more info on the trip, keep an eye on the SlapShot Radio Facebook page.

- Second Chance for little-read members of the Chicago Media to Whine About Ticket Policies – December 29th

- New Places – Edmonton moves to their new arena this season. The Predators get their first look at Rogers Place on January 20th.

- First chance to show a little love to Jimmy Vesey – If he signs with Buffalo… which may be doubtful, but who knows? The Sabres come to Smashville on January 24th.

- Last Chance for little-read members of the Chicago Media to Whine About Ticket Policies – March 4th

Only 113 days till the puck drops on the regular season for Nashville…

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Random Notes

- The Nashville Predators Beer Fest in this Saturday at Bridgestone Arena… a really good time that benefits the Nashville Predators Foundation.

- Looks like word from South Florida is that the Panthers may not be re-signing Al Montoya… Hmmm… wondering if he would be a good fit in Nashville.

- The new salary cap is set at $73 million… higher than some expected and a relief for some teams that have been in serious cap jail. Only one team is above the cap right now… Pittsburgh…

- Other teams that have some cap issues to deal with… Chicago has about $7 million to sign six or seven players… and quite a few teams have to get to the floor of $54 million, which may make Pavel Datsyuk’s contract a juicy target… all cap, no cash…

- Looks like Alex Goligoski is signing in Arizona… good move for the ‘Yotes.

- With Ryan Callahan’s surgery taking him out of the World Cup, speculation is that Phil Kessel will be named as his replacement… don’t understand why he was overlooked in the first place.

- Kinda weird… two outdoor games around New Year’s… Leafs/Wings on New Year’s Day and the official Winter Classic on Jan. 2 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis

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