Back to the NHL Newsfeed

NHL Teams That Are Facing Brutal Upcoming Schedules

Related Topics: Playoffs, National Hockey League

September's World Cup of Hockey has left an impression on the NHL schedule that will be felt right through 2016-17.

The season started a week later than usual but will still end by the second week in April. That means every team will need to squeeze its 82 games into seven less days—not a huge change, but one that effectively snatches one practice or off day from every team each month.

The league schedule also has another new wrinkle this year—a "bye week." Nearly every team will receive a stretch of five days off without games or practices sometime during January or February, per the Associated Press (via USA Today).