2016–17 NHL season
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| 2016–17 NHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
| Duration | October 12, 2016 – April 15, 2017 |
| Number of games | 82 |
| Number of teams | 30 |
| Regular season | |
| Playoffs | |
| Stanley Cup | |
The 2016–17 NHL season will be the 100th season of operation (99th season of play) of the National Hockey League. Thirty teams compete in 82–game regular season schedules prior to the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs.
League Sanctions
Salary Cap
In December 2015 commissioner Gary Bettman told teams that he projected the salary cap to least $74.5 Million for the 2016–17 season, It could increase as much as $3.1 million.[1]
Rule Changes
Media Rights
National broadcast rights will remain with NBC Sports (in the United States) and Sportsnet (in Canada) under long-term contracts signed in previous seasons.
Regular season
The regular season will begin on October 12, 2016 and will end on April 15, 2017. The playoffs will begin on April 19, 2017. The entire schedule will be released in June following the Stanley Cup Final.
Heritage Classic
The 2016 Heritage Classic will be held on October 23, 2016, at Investors Group Field, home of the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Winnipeg Jets will host the Edmonton Oilers in their first outdoor game, and second for the Oilers, after the 2003 Heritage Classic.
Centennial Classic and Winter Classic
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the NHL and the 50th anniversary of its expansion into a continent-wide league, the NHL will hold two outdoor showcase games over New Year's Day weekend. On Sunday, January 1, the one-off special Centennial Classic will be hosted in Toronto, Ontario's BMO Field, hosted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the league's two remaining charter franchises and who themselves are celebrating 100 years in business. The Maple Leafs will host the Detroit Red Wings in a rematch of the 2014 NHL Winter Classic.
The ninth NHL Winter Classic will be held on the afternoon of Monday, January 2, 2017. That game will be hosted by the St. Louis Blues, one of the six teams added in the Great Expansion of 1967 that are celebrating their fiftieth anniversary. The Blues will host their archrivals, the Chicago Blackhawks, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Stadium Series
Like in 2015, only one Stadium Series game will be played. The game will feature the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field, home of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, on February 25, 2017. This will be the second time Pittsburgh has hosted an outdoor game, the first being the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, hosted at the same venue.
Uniform Changes
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be unveiling a new logo as well as new primary home and away uniforms for their centennial season.[2] The new logo was unveiled February 2, 2016.[3]
The Florida Panthers announced in December 2015 that they would debut a brand new logo, and uniform set for the 2016-17 season.[4]
The Philadelphia Flyers will be releasing a special third jersey for their 50th anniversary. The team has only unveiled a teaser photo of this jersey which will have the 50th anniversary patch on the right shoulder of the uniform. The team has not announced any plans on a Stadium Series jersey. [5]
The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to return to using black and "Pittsburgh gold" as their colors, and will debut new uniforms, retiring "Vegas gold" that has been used in at least some capacity since 2000.[6]
All–Star Game
The 62nd National Hockey League All-Star Game will be held in Los Angeles, California at Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday January 29, 2017. The format will be identical to the 2016 All-Star Game.
Arenas
This will be the Edmonton Oilers first season at Rogers Place replacing their old arena Rexall Place. The team will play its first regular season home game sometime in October. It will also be the Detroit Red Wings final season at Joe Louis Arena before moving into their new arena, Little Caesars Arena, in October 2017 in time for the 2017–18 NHL season.
Milestones
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Coaching changes
| Offseason | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2015–16 coach | 2016–17 coach | Story / Accomplishments |
| Anaheim Ducks | Bruce Boudreau | TBA | Boudreau was fired on April 29, 2016, after losing in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.[7] Boudreau accumulated a 208-104-40 with the Ducks over five seasons and four consecutive Pacific Division titles. During that time, the Ducks also were eliminated in the playoffs in Game 7 at home in four consecutive seasons. |
| Calgary Flames | Bob Hartley | TBA | Hartley was fired on May 3, 2016, after accumulating a record of 134-135-25 record over four seasons in Calgary.[8] He was fired just one season after winning the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year in the 2014–15 season. |
| Ottawa Senators | Dave Cameron | TBA | Cameron was fired on April 12, 2016, after accumulating a record of 70-50-17 after 1¾ seasons.[9] The team made the post-season once under his tenure losing to the Montreal Canadiens, 4-2 in the 2015 Conference Quarterfinals. |
| In-season | |||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach | Story / Accomplishments |
(*) Indicates interim.
See also
References
- ^ "NHL Salary cap could reach $74.5 Million for 2016–17". Sportsnet. December 7, 2015. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- ^ "Toronto Maple Leafs will have new logo, uniforms in 2016-17". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "Toronto Maple Leafs unveil new logo". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "Panthers to unveil new jerseys and logo next season". sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
- ^ "Here's the Flyers 50th anniversary logo, and a tiny glimpse at their new third jersey". broadstreethockey.com. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- ^ http://www.pensburgh.com/2016/1/8/10739338/pittsburgh-penguins-new-jerseys-black-yellow
- ^ "Boudreau fired as Ducks coach". April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Calgary Flames fire head coach Bob Hartley". Calgary Sun. May 3, 2016.
- ^ "News Release: Ottawa Senators announce changes to coaching staff". April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.