The NHL released the 2021-22 regular reason schedule, a slate that includes a three-week break for the All-Star Game and Winter Olympics, and a return to the league’s 82-game schedule.
The Carolina Hurricanes will open their season Oct. 14 at PNC Arena when they host the New York Islanders in both teams’ return to the Metropolitan Division.
The Hurricanes have four four-game home stands next season — the longest coming from Jan. 29 to Feb. 27, with two games on each side of the NHL’s Feb. 1-22 sabbatical for All-Star Weekend and the 2022 Beijing Games.
Carolina has a season-long six-game road trip in November that includes the team’s first trip to Seattle to face the Kraken. In all, 10 of the Hurricanes’ 13 games in November will be away from Raleigh. The team’s busiest month is March when they will play 16 games, including a season-high nine at home.
The Hurricanes have 14 sets of back-to-backs, including an April 28 home game with the Devils followed the next day by a season-ending trip to Pittsburgh.
Carolina has 24 of their 41 home games on Friday through Sunday with eight on each of those days. The Hurricanes play two homes games on Mondays, two on Tuesdays and 13 on Thursdays. Carolina does not play at home on a Wednesday, but do play twice on Hump Day on the road — both in November.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion Lightning will visit PNC Arena just once in 2021-22, on March 22. Carolina travels to Tampa Bay twice, on Nov. 9 and March 29.
Recently traded Alex Nedeljkovic and the Detroit Red Wings will play in Raleigh on Dec. 16 and April 14.
