2013-14 PRE-SEASON INFORMATION PACKAGE * Dates of Interest * Rule Changes * Realignment * Stanley Cup Playoff Format * Critical Dates * Off-Season Summary * Outdoor Games * Olympics * Upcoming Milestones * Tie-Breaking Procedure * Order of Selection for 2014 NHL Draft * CBA Index * Team PR Contacts * NHL PR Contacts 2013-14 DATES OF INTEREST OCTOBER Tuesday, Oct. 1: Regular season opens . Blackhawks raise their Stanley Cup banner prior to facing off against Washington . ALSO: Commencement of Hockey Fights Cancer month. Wednesday, Oct. 2: Vincent Lecavalier and Mark Streit debut as Flyers against Toronto and former Flyer James Van Riemsdyk. Sunday, Oct. 6: Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne makes his final regular-season appearance in Winnipeg, where he starred from 1992-96. Tuesday, Oct. 8: Former Canucks goalie Cory Schneider makes his first visit to Vancouver as a member of the Devils. Friday, Oct. 11: Nearly 20 years to the day since the first game in franchise history (Oct. 12, 1993, against Pittsburgh), the Panthers launch their 20th anniversary home season with a special “throwback” night against the Penguins. Saturday, Oct. 12: Dallas Eakins leads the Oilers into Toronto, where he coached the AHL Marlies for four seasons. Sunday, Oct. 13: Bobby Ryan and the Senators visit Anaheim, where Ryan’s NHL career began. Monday, Oct. 14: Former Sabres captain Jason Pominville returns to Buffalo for the first time as a member of the Wild. Saturday, Oct. 19: Toronto’s Dave Bolland returns to United Center just a few months after scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Blackhawks. Monday, Oct. 21: Cole Harbour, N.S., favorite sons Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby face off for the first time as the Avs visit the Penguins. Wednesday, Oct. 23: Daniel Alfredsson plays his first game against the Senators as a member of the Red Wings when Ottawa visits Joe Louis Arena. Thursday, Oct. 24: Anaheim plays at Bell Centre in what may be the last regular-season appearance in Montreal by former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu. Monday, Oct. 28: Dallas coach Lindy Ruff makes his return to Buffalo, where he coached from 1997-2013. Wednesday, Oct. 30: On NBCSN “Rivalry Wednesday,” Boston visits Pittsburgh in the teams’ first meeting since the 2013 Eastern Conference Final. NOVEMBER Saturday, Nov. 2: The Blackhawks make their first regular-season appearance in Winnipeg since Feb. 23, 1996. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews plays in his hometown for the first time as a pro . ALSO: Patrick Roy coaches his first game against his former team when the Canadiens visit the Avalanche. Prior to the game, the Avalanche retire No. 52 in honor of Adam Foote . ALSO: The Canucks retire No. 10 worn by Pavel Bure prior to their game against the Maple Leafs. Sunday, Nov. 3: Zach Parise faces his former team for the first time when Minnesota hosts New Jersey. Monday, Nov. 4: The Red Wings make first their regular-season appearance in Winnipeg since March 10, 1996. Tuesday, Nov. 5: Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley return to Boston for the first time since being traded to the Stars by the Bruins. Thursday, Nov. 7: Rick Nash returns to Columbus for the first time since being traded to the Rangers. The game, which could feature the past two Vezina winners in Henrik Lundqvist and Sergei Bobrovsky, also could involve several Blue Jackets who played for the Rangers: Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Tim Erixon . ALSO: Jim Nill brings his Stars to Detroit, where he learned the GM ropes from Ken Holland and Jim Devellano. Friday, Nov. 8: Bob Hartley brings his Flames to Colorado for a game against the Avalanche and Patrick Roy, who he coached to a Stanley Cup in Denver in 2001. Friday, Nov. 8 – Monday, Nov. 11: Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend opens with New Jersey @ Toronto. Saturday, Nov. 9: The Maple Leafs face the Bruins in the teams’ first meeting since Boston’s late rally in Game 7 ousted Toronto from the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Monday, Nov. 11: The Hockey Hall of Fame inducts Chris Chelios, Geraldine Heaney, Scott Niedermayer, Brendan Shanahan and Fred Shero. Jay Greenberg and Harry Neale are the media honorees. Tuesday, Nov. 12: General Managers meeting (Toronto). Wednesday, Nov. 13: Former Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff makes his first visit to Edmonton as a member of the Stars. Friday, Nov. 15: The Kings go to New Jersey to face the Devils for the first time since the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. Saturday, Nov. 16: The Avalanche host the Panthers in the potential first match-up between 2013 top pick Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado and Aleksander Barkov, claimed second overall by Florida. Monday, Nov. 18: The Flames play in Winnipeg for the first time since April 6, 1996. Wednesday, Nov. 20: “Rivalry Wednesday” on NBCSN features the first meeting of the season between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the Penguins visit the Capitals. Friday, Nov. 22: 10th anniversary of the first NHL outdoor game, Montreal @ Edmonton, Commonwealth Stadium. Braving the astonishing cold, 57,167 cheered the alumni game and the Canadiens’ 4-3 victory in a nightcap memorialized by the stocking cap Montreal goaltender Jose Theodore wore on top of his mask. (Montreal @ Washington) Wednesday, Nov. 27: Former Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier returns to Tampa Bay with the Flyers on NHLN-US. Friday, Nov. 29: Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown™: NY Rangers @ Boston, 1 p.m., ET. Saturday, Nov. 30: The Rangers and Canucks, who “swapped” coaches during the off-season, meet at Madison Square Garden with Alain Vigneault leading the Rangers against John Tortorella and the Canucks. DECEMBER Sunday, Dec. 1: The Senators play host to the Red Wings in Daniel Alfredsson’s return to Ottawa. Tuesday, Dec. 10: The Bruins visit the Flames, marking the return of Jarome Iginla to Calgary. Thursday, Dec. 12: The Canadiens visit the Flyers, bringing Daniel Briere back to Philadelphia. Sunday, Dec. 15: The Kings play the Blackhawks for the first time since last season’s Western Conference Final. Thursday, Dec. 19: Anniversary of NHL’s first games. Teams from original NHL franchise cities in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa all are in action on the 11-game slate. Monday, Dec. 23: Busiest night of the NHL season (14 games). The only teams not playing are Vancouver and Montreal. Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Thursday, Dec. 26: Holiday break. Thursday, Dec. 26 – Sunday, Jan. 5: 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship. Malmo, Sweden. Tuesday, Dec. 31: 25th anniversary of the 1988 game in which the Penguins’ Mario Lemieux scored five different ways (power play, shorthanded, even strength, penalty shot and empty net) against the Devils. (Pittsburgh @ New Jersey, 1 p.m., ET) JANUARY Wednesday, Jan. 1: 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®: Maple Leafs-Red Wings @ Michigan Stadium, 12:30 p.m., ET. Wednesday, Jan. 15: CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary. Thursday, Jan. 16: Loui Eriksson returns to Dallas, where his career began, as a member of the Bruins. Saturday, Jan, 18: CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada. NY Rangers @ Ottawa and Edmonton @ Winnipeg, 2 p.m., ET; Montreal @ Toronto, 7 p.m.; Calgary @ Vancouver, 10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19: The Bruins visit the Blackhawks in the teams’ first meeting since the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. Wednesday, Jan. 22: Chicago and Detroit resume their rivalry at Joe Louis Arena. Saturday, Jan. 25: Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™: Ducks-Kings @ Dodger Stadium, 9:30 p.m., ET Sunday, Jan. 26: Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™: Devils-Rangers @ Yankee Stadium, 12:30 p.m., ET. Wednesday, Jan. 29: Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™: Islanders-Rangers @ Yankee Stadium, 7:30 p.m., ET. Thursday, Jan. 31: The Canucks make their first regular-season visit to Winnipeg since Feb. 21, 1996. FEBRUARY Saturday, Feb. 1: Commencement of Hockey is for Everyone month. Sunday, Feb. 9 – Tuesday, Feb. 25: Olympic break. Tuesday, Feb. 18: Olympic women’s hockey: Bronze-Medal Game, 7 a.m., ET. Thursday, Feb. 20: Olympic women’s hockey: Gold-Medal Game, Noon, ET. Saturday, Feb. 22: Olympic men’s hockey: Bronze-Medal Game, Noon, ET. Sunday, Feb. 23: Olympic men’s hockey: Gold-Medal Game, 7 a.m., ET. Wednesday, Feb. 26: Regular season resumes. Friday, Feb. 28 – Sunday, March 2: Hockey Weekend Across America. MARCH Saturday, March 1: Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™: Penguins-Blackhawks @ Soldier Field, 8 p.m., ET. Sidney Crosby’s first game in Chicago since 2006, his rookie year. Sunday, March 2: 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™: Senators-Canucks @ BC Place, 4 p.m., ET. ALSO: NBC’s Hockey Day Across America: Philadelphia @ Washington, 12:30 p.m.; Boston @ NY Rangers, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5: Trade Deadline (3 p.m., ET). Thursday, March 6: The Red Wings retire Nicklas Lidstrom’s No. 5 (vs. Colorado). Saturday, March 8: The Stars retire Mike Modano’s No. 9 (vs. Minnesota). Monday, March 10 – Wednesday, March 12: General Managers meeting (Boca Raton, Fla.). Thursday, March 13: Former Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier returns to Los Angeles for the first time as a member of the Maple Leafs. Tuesday, March 18: Former Canadiens star Patrick Roy brings his Avalanche to Montreal for the first time. Thursday, March 20: Ex-Devil Zach Parise returns to Prudential Center for the first time as a member of the Wild. Thursday, March 27: The Blackhawks and Bruins play in their only matchup at TD Garden of the season. APRIL Tuesday, April 1: Former Canucks coach Alain Vigneault returns to Vancouver as the head coach of the Rangers. Thursday, April 10 – Saturday, April 12: NCAA Men’s Frozen Four. Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia. Sunday, April 13: Regular season concludes with 10 games.