NHL announces exhibition schedule, start times for qualifying round
The NHL announced an exhibition schedule and the start times for the first three games of each play-in series and round-robin tournament of the 24-team playoffs.
Each team will play one tuneup game before the postseason begins Aug. 1.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| July 28 | Penguins vs. Flyers | 4 p.m. |
| July 28 | Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens | 8 p.m. |
| July 28 | Oilers vs. Flames | 10:30 p.m. |
| July 29 | Lightning vs. Panthers | 12 p.m. |
| July 29 | Avalanche vs. Wild | 2:30 p.m. |
| July 29 | Hurricanes vs. Capitals | 4 p.m. |
| July 29 | Blues vs. Blackhawks | 6:30 p.m. |
| July 29 | Islanders vs. Rangers | 8 p.m. |
| July 29 | Canucks vs. Jets | 10:30 p.m. |
| July 30 | Predators vs. Stars | 4 p.m. |
| July 30 | Bruins vs. Blue Jackets | 7 p.m. |
| July 30 | Golden Knights vs. Coyotes | 10:30 p.m. |
Broadcast information for each game will be released in the coming days.
Below are the start times for the first three games of each play-in series and round-robin tournament. Details for additional play-in games, if necessary, will be determined at a later date.
Eastern Conference
Round robin
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | Flyers vs. Bruins | 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | Capitals vs. Lightning | 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 5 | Lightning vs. Bruins | 4 p.m. |
No. 5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 12 Montreal Canadiens
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 1 | 8 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | 8 p.m. |
| Aug. 5 | 8 p.m. |
No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 11 New York Rangers
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 1 | 12 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | 12 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 8 p.m. |
No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida Panthers
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 1 | 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | 12 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 12 p.m. |
No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 9 Columbus Blue Jackets
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | 8 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 6 | TBD |
Western Conference
Round robin
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | Blues vs. Avalanche | 6:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | Stars vs. Golden Knights | 6:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 5 | Avalanche vs. Stars | 6:30 p.m. |
No. 5 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 12 Chicago Blackhawks
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 1 | 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | 10:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 5 | 10:30 p.m. |
No. 6 Nashville Predators vs. No. 11 Arizona Coyotes
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | 2 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 2:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 5 | 2:30 p.m. |
No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | 10:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 10:45 p.m. |
| Aug. 6 | TBD |
No. 8 Calgary Flames vs. No. 9 Winnipeg Jets
| Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Aug. 1 | 10:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 3 | 2:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 4 | 6:45 p.m. |
Teams will arrive at their respective hubs July 26. Western Conference clubs are stationed in Edmonton, while the Eastern Conference will congregate in Toronto.
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