NHL announces 2013-14 schedule; Red Wings part of Atlantic Division

By Michael Caples –

The National Hockey League announced their 2013-14 schedule today, along with the news that the league will take a two-week break in February 2014 so that NHL athletes can participate in the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

The 2013-14 season features the new division realignments – the Red Wings are now part of the Atlantic Division, where they will compete against the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Detroit will now play only 14 games outside the Eastern time zone, and all 29 other NHL teams will come through Detroit for at least one game at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings will also play former Central Division foe and Original Six rival Chicago twice – once in Detroit in January, and once in Chicago in March.

Detroit opens their 2013-14 regular season at home against new division opponent Buffalo. The Wings will compete against each division foe at least four times, with two guaranteed home games. In 2013-14, the Red Wings play Florida and Tampa Bay five times, with the Lightning coming to Joe Louis Arena three times.

The Wings will also play against the eight other Eastern Conference opponents three times each, with Carolina, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington visiting Detroit twice.

Detroit will play Original Six rival Boston at home the day before Thanksgiving, and five afternoon road tilts:

Oct. 14 (Columbus Day) at Boston
Nov. 29 (Black Friday) at New York (Islanders)
Feb. 2 at Washington
Mar. 22 at Minnesota
Apr. 13 at St. Louis

Here is the Red Wings’ full 2013-14 regular-season schedule:

Oct. 2 vs. Buffalo
Oct. 4 at Carolina
Oct. 5 at Boston
Oct. 10 vs. Phoenix
Oct. 12 vs. Philadelphia
Oct. 14 at Boston
Oct. 15 vs. Columbus
Oct. 17 at Colorado
Oct. 19 at Phoenix
Oct. 21 vs. San Jose
Oct. 23 vs. Ottawa
Oct. 26 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Oct. 30 at Vancouver
Nov. 1 at Calgary
Nov. 2 at Edmonton
Nov. 4 at Winnipeg
Nov. 7 vs. Dallas
Nov. 9 vs. Tampa Bay
Nov. 12 vs. Winnipeg
Nov. 15 vs. Washington
Nov. 16 at N.Y. Islanders
Nov. 19 vs. Nashville
Nov. 21 vs. Carolina
Nov. 23 vs. Ottawa
Nov. 24 at Buffalo
Nov. 27 vs. Boston
Nov. 29 at N.Y. Islanders
Dec. 1 at Ottawa
Dec. 4 vs. Philadelphia
Dec. 6 at New Jersey
Dec. 7 vs. Florida
Dec. 10 at Florida
Dec. 12 at Tampa Bay
Dec. 14 vs. Pittsburgh
Dec. 15 vs. Tampa Bay
Dec. 17 vs. Anaheim
Dec. 19 vs. Calgary
Dec. 21 at Toronto
Dec. 23 vs. N.Y. Islanders
Dec. 28 at Florida
Dec. 30 at Nashville
Jan. 1 vs. Toronto (Winter Classic)
Jan. 4 at Dallas
Jan. 9 at San Jose
Jan. 11 at Los Angeles
Jan. 12 at Anaheim
Jan. 16 at N.Y. Rangers
Jan. 18 vs. Los Angeles
Jan. 20 vs. St. Louis
Jan. 22 vs. Chicago
Jan. 24 vs. Montreal
Jan. 26 vs. Florida
Jan. 28 at Philadelphia
Jan. 31 vs. Washington
Feb. 2 at Washington
Feb. 3 vs. Vancouver
Feb. 6 at Florida
Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay
Feb. 26 at Montreal
Feb. 27 at Ottawa
Mar. 4 at New Jersey
Mar. 6 vs. Colorado
Mar. 7 vs. New Jersey
Mar. 9 at N.Y. Rangers
Mar. 11 at Columbus
Mar. 14 vs. Edmonton
Mar. 16 at Chicago
Mar. 18 vs. Toronto
Mar. 20 vs. Pittsburgh
Mar. 22 at Minnesota
Mar. 23 vs. Minnesota
Mar. 25 at Columbus
Mar. 27 vs. Montreal
Mar. 29 at Toronto
Mar. 30 vs. Tampa Bay
Apr. 2 vs. Boston
Apr. 4 vs. Buffalo
Apr. 5 at Montreal
Apr. 8 at Buffalo
Apr. 9 at Pittsburgh
Apr. 11 vs. Carolina
Apr. 13 at St. Louis