NHL Schedule announced [View All]

http://www.nhl.com/schedules/index.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2117839

The NHL released its new regular-season schedule today as all 30 teams will be on the ice when the regular season begins Oct. 5.

The schedule returns with a new format that has more play within the six divisions.

Format
# Each team plays eight games against each of its four division rivals (32 total).

# Each team plays four games against each of the 10 non-division clubs in its conference (40 total).

# Each team plays 10 interconference games, hosting one game each against all five team from a designated division and traveling for one game each against all five teams from a different division. Here are the matchups for this season:
--Northeast Division hosts Pacific Division and visits the Northwest
--Atlantic Division hosts Northwest and visits the Central
--Southeast Division hosts Central and visits the Pacific

# Division vs. division assignments will rotate annually.

Other notes

# The new schedule has more division rivalries; division rivals played each other six times under the previous schedule.

# The new schedule still has conference-based playoff format; each club continues to play 40 games against non-division, intra-conference opponents.