Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — The games are set.
On Tuesday, the Utah Hockey Club released the schedule for the team’s first season.
"Today’s announcement gets us one step closer to creating a strong connection between our club and our fans, and we are excited for everyone to be involved in our inaugural season, whether they can join us at Delta Center or on the road," said Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for Utah Hockey Club.
Here are the highlights of the club’s inaugural schedule:
The opener
The first regular season NHL game on Utah ice will be on Oct. 8 against the Chicago Blackhawks, featuring Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard. It will be one of seven times an Original Six team makes an appearance at the Delta Center.
The Original Six home games
Speaking of which, here are all the times the group featuring Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs come to Utah.
- Oct. 8 — vs. Chicago
- Oct. 19 — vs. Boston
- Jan. 14 — vs. Montreal
- Jan. 16 — vs. New York Rangers
- Feb. 25 — vs. Chicago
- March 10 — vs. Toronto
- March 24 — vs. Detroit
As for the 2023-24 Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers, the champs will make one appearance at Delta Center on Jan. 8.
The geographic rivalries
Utah will also host the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 24 and Dec. 27, and the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 15.
The Hockey Club will play in Vegas on Nov. 2 and Nov. 30, and in Denver on Dec. 12
The stars come to Utah
Here are when some of the league’s top players come to Salt Lake City:
- Connor McDavid (Edmonton) — Nov. 29
- Nathan MacKinnon/ Cale Makar (Colorado) — Oct. 24 and Dec. 27
- Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay) — March 22
- Auston Matthews (Toronto) — March 10
- Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers) — Jan. 16
- Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh) — Jan. 29
- David Pastrnak (Boston) — Oct. 19
- Quinn Hughes (Vancouver) — Dec. 18 and Feb. 23
