The NHL has released the schedule for the 2015-16 season. The Colorado Avalanche will open their season on October 8, 2015 at home versus the Minnesota Wild. This marks the second straight season, and third in the last four, the Avalanche have opened at home against the Wild. The Avs open with a three game home stand as the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins also come to town.
The first Avalanche road game of the season is October 16 as the Avs travel to California to take on the Anaheim Ducks.
The longest road trip of the year spans seven games from November 10 to November 23 as they head out East. The longest home stand of the season for Colorado is a five game stretch from December 31, when they host the Blackhawks on New Year’s Eve, to January 8.
The longest the Avs have to wait to face a specific divisional opponent is December 15, when they play Chicago for the first time of the season. That game comes at the end of a three game road trip in which they visit Nashville, St. Louis and end in Chicago where they play each of those teams for the first time on the season.
The Avalanche only have nine back-to-backs this season, a nice break from the arduous schedule Western teams occasionally face.
The Avs are hosting a Stadium Series game this year at Coors Field when the Detroit Red Wings visit town on February 27. The outdoor game is preceded immediately by a game against the Sharks three days earlier.
The earliest start Colorado has this year is a 10:30AM (MT) start on Valentine’s Day as the Avs take on the Sabres in Buffalo. The early start is just one of five matinee games for the Avalanche this year, the first coming November 1 at home versus the Sharks in a 1:00PM (MT) start and the last coming on Fan Appreciation Day in the last game of the season, a 3:30PM (MT) start versus the the Ducks.
Colorado will announce the special dates of the 20th anniversary events expected throughout the duration of this season sometime in August.
This year’s All-Star Break is January 28 through February 1 and the festivities will take place in Nashville. Other important dates include the Christmas Break from December 23 through December 25.
The NHL regular season begins the night before with a four-game slate featuring the championship banner raising ceremony for the Chicago Blackhawks, who host the New York Rangers. Other games on the NHL’s opening night include the Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames, and the San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings.
You can view the full Avalanche schedule here.
