Finally the NHL and NHLPA have ratified the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and that means the release of the 2013 NHL schedule. As one probably knows by now, all 48 contests are of the intra-conference variety. With that the defending Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils will begin their quest for a fourth Stanley Cup on January 19.
That quest will begin at their Atlantic Division and metro area rival New York Islanders on the 19th. Then on January 22, the Devils will raise their 2011-12 Eastern Conference Champions banner at the Prudential Center and play host to another division foe, as the Philadelphia Flyers travel up the turnpike and square off in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference semi-finals. That contest will air on NBC Sports Network.
New Jersey rounds out the month with four more games. At home against the Washington Capitals, traveling to the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins and finishing up at home with the Isles.
As the calendar turns, the Devils will have seven games at home and seven on the road. Their home slate for February includes the Eastern Conference Final rematch against the New York Rangers on February 5, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, Flyers, Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets. On the road, the Devils travel to Pittsburgh, Long Island and Washington twice apiece and finish out at Winnipeg.
Moving to March, New Jersey has seven games at home and eight away. The Devils visit the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina twice, Philadelphia, Ottawa, Tampa Bay Lightning and finish out the road slate and March schedule in an Eastern Conference quarter-final rematch at the Florida Panthers. At home the Devils play Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Winnipeg, Philadelphia Montreal, Rangers and Florida.
Finishing up in April, the Devils again play seven home contests and have six on the road, including the final game of the season at the Rangers on April 27 on NBC and or NBCSN. Those remaining home games include the following opponents, Islanders, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Senators, Panthers, Canadiens and the final home contest against the Penguins on April 25. On the road slate, New Jersey travels to Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, Philadelphia and the Rangers twice, including the aforementioned season finale.
Nationally Televised Games:
While the Devils are televised regionally on MSG+ and MSG, they also have 20 contests televised nationally between Canada and the U.S., on NHL Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, CBC and RDS. As mentioned above the Devils host the Flyers on January 22 on NBCSN. On January 27, when the Devils travel to Montreal they will be on RDS.
In February the Devils have games on on NHLN-US February 2 at Pittsburgh, February 9 hosting Pittsburgh and February 23 at Washington. They also have a February 10 game on NBCSN at Pittsburgh.
In March New Jersey plays host to the Flyers in a March 13 game on NBCSN. New Jersey plays on NHLN-US on March 15 at Philadelphia and March 21 at Carolina. When they host Montreal on March 16, that game will be televised on CBC and RDS in Canada.
Capping off the April TV schedule, New Jersey has two games on NHLN-US, April 4 at Boston and April 20 hosting Florida. Their April 6 game will air on CBC in Canada, as they host Toronto. Plus their home contest against Montreal on April 23 will be broadcast on RDS in Canada. The Devils remaining games on NBC and or NBCSN are as follows: April 7 at Buffalo, April 10 hosting Boston, April 18 at Philadelphia, April 21 at Rangers, April 25 hosting Pittsburgh and April 27 at Rangers.
The entire schedule, including dates, times, opponents and national TV schedule can be found here.
Miscellaneous:
Like everyone else, New Jersey plays 24 home and 24 away. The Devils play 18 games against Atlantic Division opponents and 30 against the rest of the Eastern Conference.
New Jersey’s longest home-stand occurs with three games (Rangers, Lightning, Penguins) from February 5-9. Conversely the Devils longest road trip, also consisting of three games (Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Florida) comes March 25-30.
Five of the Devils final nine games are at home. Outside of an April 15 game at Toronto, the farthest the Devils travel is to Philadelphia on April 18. Of their final five, the Devils play three at Prudential Center and two at Madison Square Garden.