The Blue Jackets and NHL released the 2014 / 2015 schedule today, and my initial thoughts are that it is a very balanced slate, with some interesting elements that fans of the Jackets should find interesting. Click here or see below for the full schedule.
Highlights:
– The Jackets open the season on the road in Buffalo on October 9.
– Two nights later is the home opener against the Eastern Conference champion Rangers.
– The California road trip is in October, part of a four game trip with a stop in Ottawa, before facing San Jose, Anaheim and the champion Kings from 18-24 October. It’s great to get that trip out of the way early.
– The other long trip, to Western Canada, runs from 18-21 March against the Oilers, Canucks and Flames. The game against the Flames is a matinee however.
– The longest homestand is at the end of the calendar year, with a five-gamer between 18 and 31 December against the Capitals, Blackhawks, Predators, Bruins and Wild.
– The longest road trip is also five games, running from 14 to 22 February with stops in Long Island, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Montreal and New York. There are two four-game road trips as well, in October and January.
– The Metro divisional breakdown is as follows: two home and two away against the ‘Canes, Devils, Islanders, Rangers and Penguins, with two home/three away against the Flyers, and three home/two away against the Capitals.
– The Jackets will play each Western Conference team twice, one home, one away.
– Breakdown by day of the week:
Monday (5)
Tuesday (17)
Wednesday (5)
Thursday (11)
Friday (15)
Saturday (24)
Sunday (5)
– The team will play 19 back-to-backs.
– The NHL All Star Game is in Columbus this season, with the skills competition taking place on Saturday, 24 January with the game itself the next day, 25 January.
– Thanks in part to the new broadcast deal for Sportsnet in Canada, and also to the success the team experienced last season, there are a greater number of games on National TV in Canada next year. The Jackets will be featured on Sportsnet four times, and Hockey Night in Canada six times. This is terrific from an exposure point of view.
– The New Year’s Eve game is back, and it will be at home against the Wild.
– The Jackets will face 2014 playoff opponent Pittsburgh on 13 December, 19 February, 1 March and 4 April.
– The Jackets close the regular season on 11 April, 2015 on the road in Long Island.
FULL SCHEDULE:
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October, 2014
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Thu Oct 9, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Sabres | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Oct 11, 2014 | Rangers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Oct 14, 2014 | Stars | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Oct 17, 2014 | Flames | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Oct 18, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Senators | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Oct 23, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Sharks | 10:30 PM |
| Fri Oct 24, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Ducks | 10:00 PM |
| Sun Oct 26, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Kings | 4:00 PM |
| Tue Oct 28, 2014 | Senators | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Oct 31, 2014 | Maple Leafs | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
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November, 2014
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Sat Nov 1, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Devils | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Nov 4, 2014 | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Nov 7, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Hurricanes | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Nov 8, 2014 | Lightning | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Nov 11, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Capitals | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Nov 14, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Flyers | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Nov 15, 2014 | Sharks | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Nov 18, 2014 | Red Wings | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Nov 21, 2014 | Bruins | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Nov 22, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Flyers | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Nov 25, 2014 | Jets | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Nov 28, 2014 | Canucks | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Nov 29, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Predators | 8:00 PM |
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December, 2014
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Mon Dec 1, 2014 | Panthers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Dec 4, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Panthers | 7:30 PM |
| Sat Dec 6, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Lightning | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Dec 9, 2014 | Flyers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Dec 11, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Capitals | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Dec 13, 2014 | Penguins | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Dec 16, 2014 | Blue Jackets | Red Wings | 7:30 PM |
| Thu Dec 18, 2014 | Capitals | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Dec 20, 2014 | Blackhawks | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Mon Dec 22, 2014 | Predators | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Dec 27, 2014 | Bruins | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Wed Dec 31, 2014 | Wild | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
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January, 2015
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Sat Jan 3, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Coyotes | 8:00 PM |
| Sun Jan 4, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Avalanche | 8:00 PM |
| Tue Jan 6, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Stars | 8:30 PM |
| Fri Jan 9, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Maple Leafs | 7:30 PM |
| Sat Jan 10, 2015 | Islanders | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Wed Jan 14, 2015 | Canadiens | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Jan 16, 2015 | Rangers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Jan 17, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Bruins | 7:00 PM |
| Mon Jan 19, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Wild | 8:00 PM |
| Wed Jan 21, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Jets | 9:00 PM |
| Tue Jan 27, 2015 | Capitals | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Jan 29, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Panthers | 7:30 PM |
| Sat Jan 31, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Lightning | 7:30 PM |
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February, 2015
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Tue Feb 3, 2015 | Coyotes | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Feb 6, 2015 | Blues | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Feb 7, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Senators | 7:00 PM |
| Mon Feb 9, 2015 | Kings | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Feb 13, 2015 | Flyers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Feb 14, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Islanders | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Feb 17, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Flyers | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Feb 19, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Penguins | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Feb 21, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Canadiens | 7:00 PM |
| Sun Feb 22, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Rangers | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Feb 24, 2015 | Sabres | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Feb 26, 2015 | Canadiens | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Feb 28, 2015 | Devils | Blue Jackets | 5:00 PM |
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March, 2015
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Sun Mar 1, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Penguins | 5:00 PM |
| Tue Mar 3, 2015 | Capitals | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Mar 6, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Devils | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Mar 7, 2015 | Avalanche | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Tue Mar 10, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Hurricanes | 7:00 PM |
| Thu Mar 12, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Red Wings | 7:30 PM |
| Fri Mar 13, 2015 | Oilers | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sun Mar 15, 2015 | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets | 5:00 PM |
| Wed Mar 18, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Oilers | 10:00 PM |
| Thu Mar 19, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Canucks | 10:00 PM |
| Sat Mar 21, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Flames | 4:00 PM |
| Tue Mar 24, 2015 | Ducks | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Fri Mar 27, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Blackhawks | 8:30 PM |
| Sat Mar 28, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Blues | 8:00 PM |
| Tue Mar 31, 2015 | Devils | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
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April, 2015
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| Date | Visitor | Home | Time (ET) |
| Thu Apr 2, 2015 | Islanders | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Apr 4, 2015 | Penguins | Blue Jackets | 2:00 PM |
| Mon Apr 6, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Rangers | 7:00 PM |
| Wed Apr 8, 2015 | Maple Leafs | Blue Jackets | 7:30 PM |
| Fri Apr 10, 2015 | Sabres | Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Sat Apr 11, 2015 | Blue Jackets | Islanders | 7:00 PM |
What do you think of the Jackets’ 2014/2015 schedule?
| Love it. | 31 |
| Hate it. | 0 |
| Meh. | 28 |