Dallas Stars: 2012-13 NHL Schedule Highlights
It seems like the season just ended, but already the NHL has unveiled next year’s schedule for all thirty NHL teams. At this point, no TV schedule has been announced, but the Stars surely will have a few games on the NBC Sports Network, maybe even NBC. We’ll take a look at some of the key games and the entire schedule as a whole.
Assuming a new collective bargaining agreement is made (and it better because the NHL probably couldn’t survive another lockout and/or cancelled season like in 2004-05), the Stars will begin the 2012-13 NHL season on the road at the Phoenix Coyotes, on Saturday, October 13 at 9:00 PM ET. The Stars first home game is Tuesday, October 16th (mark it down now!) against those same Phoenix Coyotes at 8:00 PM ET/ 7 CT locally. The Stars will have a couple of long road trips during the season.
They have a five game swing against Eastern Conference teams that finishes with the St. Louis Blues (October 30th-November 7th). They also have a six game road trip that starts on December 4th and ends on December 15th against teams that are all on the West Coast or in the Pacific time zone. Those could be a couple of tough trips for the Stars. Salvaging points on those road trips will be vital to their chances of making the playoffs.
A few other notes on the schedule and interesting games include:
- The first game against the Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings is Sunday, November 25th in Dallas at American Airlines Center at 3:00 PM ET/2 PM CT.
- The Stars host the Buffalo Sabres, the team they beat to win the Stanley Cup in 1999, on Saturday, March 23 at 8:00 PM ET/7 PM CT.
- The Stars biggest rival, at least to me, is the Minnesota Wild. The first time they play is Thursday, October 18th in Dallas at 8:00 PM ET/7 PM CT. They face the Wild a total of four times this year including the second to last game of the year in St. Paul on Thursday, April 11th.
- The Stars have a couple of five game home stands and a four game home stand. Their first five game home stand occurs Saturday, December 28 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and ends Tuesday January 8th, against the Phoenix Coyotes. Their second five game home stand stars Saturday, March 23rd against the Buffalo Sabres and ends Monday, April 1st against the Anaheim Ducks. Their four game home stand starts Sunday, February, 17th against the Calgary Flames and finishes Saturday, February 23rd against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- The Stars will be home the most frequently in the month of March with nine home games. The month they are home the least is at the end of the NHL season in April with only three home games.
- The Stars will be on the road the most during the month of December with eight road games. The months they have the fewest road games are January and April (each with four road games).
It should be an interesting year for the Dallas Stars. Their full schedule can be found here or at the Stars website. How they do remains to be seen. We still have free agency and hopefully a full NHL season.
Come on NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Don’t let a lockout happen!
Before we go, a quick note to pass along and that is that the Dallas Stars development camp starts this Thursday, July 5, at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco with all nine draft selections expected to participate. The NHL season may have just ended, but everyone is eagerly preparing for next year. And how everything comes along is, as always, Written in the Stars.
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