The Chicago Blackhawks announced their 56-game schedule for the 2020-21 NHL season, and they’ll get things started by watching the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate their Stanley Cup championship in the season opener Jan. 13.
The Blackhawks will play in the Central Division under the league’s temporary realignment, playing games exclusively against the Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Stars, Panthers, Predators and Lightning this season. They’ll play each team eight times, with four home games and four road games on the docket per team.
The Blackhawks will play their first four games in Florida, taking on the Lightning and Panthers, then will head home for their opener at the United Center on Jan. 22 against the Detroit Red Wings. The NHL bunched the league’s schedule this season to reduce travel, and the Blackhawks’ schedule features a three-game string against the Lightning at the United Center from March 4 to the 7th.
The Blackhawks will wrap up their regular season with two games against the Stars on May 6 and May 8.
In a press release, the team announced that they will not allow fans into the United Center to start the 2020-21 season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"We will continue working with the league, city and state officials to evaluate conditions to determine if there is a timeline that would allow for fans later this season," the team said in a statement.
Here is the full schedule, with home games in bold:
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Jan. 13 and 15: at Tampa Bay
Jan. 17 and 19: at Florida
Jan. 22 and 24: vs. Detroit
Jan. 26 and 27: at Nashville
Jan. 29 and 31: vs. Columbus
Feb. 2 and 4: vs. Carolina
Feb. 7 and 9: at Dallas
Feb. 11 and 13: vs. Columbus
Feb. 15 and 17: at Detroit
Feb. 19 and 20: at Carolina
Feb. 23 and 25: at Columbus
Feb. 27 and 28: vs. Detroit
Mar. 4, 5, and 7: vs. Tampa Bay
Mar. 9 and 11: at Dallas
Mar. 13 and 15: at Florida
Mar. 18 and 20: at Tampa Bay
Mar. 23 and 25: vs. Florida
Mar. 27 and 28: vs. Nashville
Mar. 30 and Apr. 1: vs. Carolina
Apr. 3 and 4: at Nashville
Apr. 6 and 8: vs. Dallas
Apr. 10 and 12: at Columbus
Apr. 15 and 17: at Detroit
Apr. 21 and 23: vs. Nashville
Apr. 27: vs. Tampa Bay
Apr. 29 and May 1: vs. Florida
May 3 and 4: at Carolina
May 6 and 8: vs. Dallas
Under the temporary realignment designed by the league, the top four teams in each division will make the postseason, and then the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be intradivisional showdowns. After that, the winning teams from each division will compete in the semifinal round, then the Stanley Cup Final, which is slated to take place in late June and early July.
