Gold: Hurricanes schedule breakdown
Posted July 7, 2022 11:02 a.m. EDT
Updated July 7, 2022 11:12 a.m. EDT
The Carolina Hurricanes’ schedule for the 2022-23 season was released yesterday and there are some interesting things for you to get ready to complain about (just kidding). So, let’s take a nuts and bolts look at what’s coming up.
As previously announced, from September 27 (vs Tampa Bay) through October 4 (at Buffalo), the Canes will play a half dozen preseason games in an 8-day stretch. Then, they will get a little more than a week to get geared up to start the 5th season of the Rod Brind’Amour era.
It all begins for real at home Wednesday, October 12 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s the first of just three meetings with Columbus and the only one on home ice. The other two will be within earshot of that annoying cannon – both in January. So, if you’d like to see the Jackets in person, opening night is your only chance.
Note: Columbus will play a preseason game at PNC Arena on October 3.
Here are some highlights and statistical info from the rest of the release:
Important dates…
Friday, November 25 at Boston. Carolina’s first meeting with the Bruins comes at 1:00 on the day after American Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 12/Thursday, November 17 are the two meetings with the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. The first is in Denver with the return game five days later in Raleigh.
Sunday, January 1 at New Jersey. The Canes will spend NYD at NJD with a 3:00 opening face off.
February 2-10, All Star Break. All Star Weekend is February 3-4 in Sunrise, Florida.
Saturday, February 18 vs Washington. The Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium will have an 8:00 pm faceoff.
Thursday, April 13 at Florida. The final game of the regular season.
Notes…
The Hurricanes will play 19 of their first 28 games on the road. That run includes a 5-game road swing out west starting Friday night October 15 in San Jose, rolling through Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary and closing out in Vancouver Monday, October 24th. Carolina will close out that extended stretch with a 6-game road trip that starts November 29th in Pittsburgh and ends December 13th in Detroit. They’ll make stops in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Anaheim and at the Islanders in between.
The Canes also close out the season with 6 of their last 9 away from home. That means that from December 15th through the end of February Carolina will enjoy a lot of home-cooked meals. The Canes will play 21 of 30 games during this stretch In Raleigh including the Stadium game across the street from PNC Arena.
Doubling up…
Carolina will have 12 sets of back-to-back games this season. Four of them will have both games at home. Three will have the first at home before traveling. Four sets will have a home game following one on the road. One will involve two away games.
(Im)balancing act…
The two teams within the Metropolitan Division that Carolina will play just three times are the Blue Jackets and Capitals. The Hurricanes will play the other five division opponents four times each. If you’re wondering, the Canes’ first meeting with the Rangers is January 3rd at Madison Square Garden. The first visit from the Blue Shirts comes February 11th. The teams will close out the regular season series with a home and home set March 21st and 23rd with the last coming in Raleigh on a Thursday night.
Carolina will play three games against all 8 teams from the Atlantic Division. They’ll play twice at home against the Lightning, Maple Leafs, Bruins and Senators. The Hurricanes will only see the Sabres, Panthers, Red Wings and Canadiens once at PNC Arena.
Set your watch…
From December 15th through the end of the regular season the Canes will play just 7 games that start after 7:00 pm ET. Two of those are 7:30 pm starts, two are at 8:00, two are at 9:30 and one at 10:00, on Wednesday, March 1st in Las Vegas.
In case you’re wondering, we don’t have the playoff schedule yet. Now all Don Waddell, Eric Tulsky and Tom Dundon need to do is put together a team that can negotiate the 82 games well enough to qualify for the playoffs for a 5th straight year.
