MiHockey’s ‘Games to Watch’ for the 2015-16 season

By @MichaelCaples –

We’re more than halfway through August, which means we are incredibly close to the start of hockey season. The MiHockey staff has been working on our coverage plans for the upcoming campaign, and we figured why not share some of the highlighted games and events we are putting on our calendars?

Here is a look at some of the significant games Michigan’s pro, NCAA, OHL and USHL teams will be playing in over the upcoming hockey season. As you will see from a quick scroll, there are way too many to list, but we’re giving it a try.

We should note, of course, that the Grand Rapids Griffins’ schedule is not finalized just yet. We have information for a few of GRG’s home games, so we have included those, but they don’t have opponents for said dates just yet. All of the games listed below are ‘away vs. home’ and we have included any relevant extra information in the parenthesis after the match-up.

Did we miss one that you have circled on your own hockey calendar? Tweet us or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Enjoy!

SEPTEMBER

Friday, Sept. 4
Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit (preseason)

Tuesday, Sept. 8
Bloomington Thunder vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (preseason)

Sunday, Sept. 20
Flint Firebirds vs. Sarnia Sting (McMorran Place, preseason)

Wednesday, Sept. 23
Blackhawks vs. Red Wings (preseason)

Thursday, Sept. 24
Penguins vs. Red Wings (preseason)
Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit

Saturday, Sept. 26
Bruins vs. Red Wings (preseason)
Saginaw Spirit vs. Flint Firebirds

OCTOBER

Friday, Oct. 2
Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings (preseason)

Saturday, Oct. 3
NTDP U18 Team vs. Northern Michigan
NTDP U17 Team vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Sunday, Oct. 4
Toronto vs. Michigan
Western Ontario vs. Michigan State (exhibition)
NTDP U18 Team vs. Lake Superior State

Friday, Oct. 9
Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings (home opener)
Ferris State vs. Western Michigan
Chicago Steel vs. NTDP U18 Team (first USA Hockey Arena game)

Saturday, Oct. 10
Western Michigan vs. Ferris State

Sunday, Oct. 11
Notre Dame vs. NTDP U18 Team

Tuesday, Oct. 13
Lightning vs. Red Wings (first rematch in Detroit)

Friday, Oct. 16
Lake Superior State vs. Northern Michigan
Griffins’ home opener (opponent TBD)
Fort Wayne vs. K-Wings (Kalamazoo’s home opener)

Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17
Michigan Tech vs. Ferris State

Saturday, Oct. 17
Northern Michigan vs. Lake Superior State

Friday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 18
Mercyhurst vs. Michigan

Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23
Lake Superior State vs. Michigan State

Friday, Oct. 23
Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan
Toledo Walleye vs. K-Wings

Saturday, Oct. 24
Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan

Wednesday, Oct. 28
Chicago Steel vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (10:30 a.m. puck drop)
Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit (10:45 a.m. puck drop)

Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31
Ferris State vs. Michigan Tech

NOVEMBER

Wednesday, Nov. 4
Adirondack vs. K-Wings (10:30 a.m. puck drop)

Tuesday, Nov. 10
Capitals vs. Red Wings (Ovechkin and Co. come to JLA, then show up again eight days later)

Friday, Nov. 13
Niagara vs. Michigan

Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14
Arizona State vs. Lake Superior State

Saturday, Nov. 14
Niagara vs. NTDP U18 Team

Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21
Michigan Tech vs. Michigan State

Wednesday, Nov. 25
Bruins vs. Red Wings
Adrian College vs. NTDP U18 Team
Saginaw Spirit vs. Flint Firebirds

Friday, Nov. 27
Oilers vs. Red Wings (Connor McDavid’s first visit to Hockeytown)

Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28
Ferris State vs. Lake Superior State

Friday, Nov. 27 and Sunday, Nov. 29
North Dakota vs. Michigan State

Sunday, Nov. 29
Toledo Walleye vs. K-Wings

DECEMBER

Tuesday, Dec. 1
Sabres vs. Red Wings (Jack Eichel returns to Metro Detroit)

Friday, Dec. 4
Saginaw Spirit vs. Flint Firebirds

Friday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 12
Minnesota vs. Michigan
Ferris State vs. Northern Michigan
Michigan Tech vs. Lake Superior State

Saturday, Dec. 11
NTDP U17 Team vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Wednesday, Dec. 16
Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit

Thursday, Dec. 17
Manchester vs. K-Wings (10:30 a.m. puck drop)

Tuesday, Dec. 29 and Wednesday, Dec. 30
Great Lakes Invitational (Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan)

Wednesday, Dec. 30
Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. NTDP U17 Team (2 p.m puck drop)

Thursday, Dec. 31
Red Wings’ New Year’s Eve game (against Crosby and the Penguins)
Griffins’ New Year’s Eve game (opponent TBD)

JANUARY

Friday, Jan. 8
Michigan vs. Michigan State

Saturday, Jan. 9
Michigan State vs. Michigan

Friday, Jan. 15
Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. NTDP U17 Team

Monday, Jan. 18
NTDP U17 Team vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Thursday, Jan. 21
NTDP U18 Team vs. Michigan

Saturday, Jan. 23
NTDP U18 Team vs. Michigan State
Griffins’ 2016 Great Skate Winterfest game (opponent TBD)

FEBRUARY

Wednesday, Feb. 3
Flint Firebirds vs. Saginaw Spirit

Friday, Feb. 5
Michigan State vs. Michigan (Joe Louis Arena)

Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6
Lake Superior State vs. Michigan Tech (Winter Carnival)
Toledo Walleye vs. K-Wings

Saturday, Feb. 6
Michigan vs. Michigan State (Munn Ice Arena)

Friday, Feb. 12
Avalanche vs. Red Wings (Stadium Series tune-up)

Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13
Northern Michigan vs. Ferris State

Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16
NAHL Prospects Tournament (USA Hockey Arena)

Friday, Feb. 19
Ferris State vs. Michigan

Sunday, Feb. 21
Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. NTDP U17 Team (2 p.m. puck drop)

Saturday, Feb. 27
Red Wings vs. Avalanche (NHL Stadium Series)

MARCH

Wednesday, March 2
Blackhawks vs. Red Wings (Their lone visit to Detroit)
Saginaw Spirit vs. Flint Firebirds

Friday, March 4
Northern Michigan vs. Michigan Tech

Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5
Lake Superior State vs. Ferris State

Saturday, March 5
Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan

Thursday, March 10
Jets vs. Red Wings (Michigan natives come through town)

Friday, March 11 through Sunday, March 13
WCHA Playoffs (campus sites)

Thursday, March 17 through Saturday, March 19
Big Ten Tournament (Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota)

Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19
WCHA Final Five (Van Andel Arena)

Saturday, March 26
NTDP U17 Team vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Thursday, March 31
Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. NTDP U18 Team

APRIL

Wednesday, April 6
Flyers vs. Red Wings (Wings’ last regular-season home game)

Thursday, April 7 and Saturday, April 9
NCAA Frozen Four

Saturday, April 9
Toledo Walleye vs. K-Wings

Did we miss one that you have circled on your own hockey calendar? Tweet us or leave a comment on our Facebook page.