Important dates for the 2018–19 NHL season

Important NHL Dates

• October 1st - 12:00 pm EST: The final opportunity for clubs to place players on waivers and have them clear prior to the submission of Open Day playing rosters.
• October 2nd: Training Camps Close. Seattle Hockey Partners to present to the NHL executive committee. Mandatory cap compliance and opening day rosters due at 5:00 pm EST.
• October 3rd: NHL season begins.
• November 1st: Waivers claim priority changes from last seasons final standings to active seasons standings.
• December 1st - 5:00 pm EST: Restricted free agent (RFA) signing deadline.
• December 7th or 8th (speculation): NHL Board of Governors meeting. Possible announcement of NHL expansion to Seattle.
• December 19th - 11:59 pm local time: Holiday roster freeze begins.
• December 24th: Holiday break.
• December 28th - 12:01 am local time: Holiday roster freeze ends.
• January 1st: Players on one year contracts becoime eligible to sign extensions.
• January 24th: All-Star break.
• February 25th - 12:01 am EST: 23 player active roster limit is lifted. 3:00 pm EST: Playoff eligible UFA singing deadline. Players on all NHL rosters at 3:00 pm est can no longer be loaned to minors. Trade Deadline.
• March 1st: Clubs can begin signing draft choices and draft related UFAs to standard player contracts (SPC) for the preceding league year.
• April 6th: NHL season ends.

Wednesday Night Hockey on NBC

Wednesday Night Hockey games tend to feature star players and known prospects with 17 of the 25 days featuring doubleheaders. Also note that these games have earlier start times - 7 p.m. ET or 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage of the second game beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET.

“With the impressive growth of fan interest in non-traditional NHL markets combined with the emergence of a number of rising stars, we felt the time was right to broaden our Wednesday night schedule and evolve the brand,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer and President, Production, NBC Sports and NBCSN. “Fans will still see plenty of games between traditional powers, but our new approach to Wednesday nights – including a record number of doubleheaders – allows us to show more rising stars and more Western Conference and Canadian teams than ever before.”

Wednesday Night Hockey will feature multiple appearances from the following: Alex Ovechkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, P.K. Subban, Patrice Bergeron, Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, Connor McDavid, Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews, Henrik Lundqvist, Johnny Gaudreau, Joe Pavelski, Jonathan Quick, and Nathan MacKinnon.

Wednesday Night Hockey Schedule

• October 3rd: Boston @ Washington / Anaheim @ San Jose
• October 10th: Vegas @ Washington
• October 17th: NY Rangers @ Washington / Boston @ Calgary
• October 24th: Toronto @ Winnipeg / Tampa Bay @ Colorado
• November 7th: Pittsburgh @ Washington / Nashville @ Colorado
• November 14th: St. Louis @ Chicago / Anaheim @ Vegas
• November 28th: St. Louis @ Detroit / Pittsburgh @ Colorado
• December 5th: Edmonton @ St. Louis / Chicago @ Anaheim
• December 12th: Pittsburgh @ Chicago
• December 19th: Pittsburgh @ Washington
• January 2nd: Pittsburgh @ NY Rangers / San Jose @ Colorado
• January 9th: Nashville @ Chicago
• January 16th: Boston @ Philadelphia / San Jose @ Arizona
• January 23rd: Washington @ Toronto / Nashville @ Vegas
• January 30th: Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh
• February 6th: Boston @ NY Rangers
• February 13th: Edmonton @ Pittsburgh
• February 20th: Chicago @ Detroit / Boston @ Vegas
• February 27th: Tampa @ NY Rangers / Chicago @ Anaheim
• March 6th: Washington @ Philadelphia / St. Louis @ Anaheim
• March 13th: Chicago @ Toronto / New Jersey @ Edmonton
• March 20th: Tampa Bay @ Washington / Winnipeg @ Anaheim
• March 27th: NY Rangers @ Boston / Vegas @ Colorado
• April 3rd: St. Louis @ Chicago / Calgary @ Anaheim

NHL Winter Classic and Stadium Series

• January 1st : Boston Bruins vs the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Broadcast on NBC.
• February 23rd: NHL Stadium Series featureing the Pittsburgh Penquins and the Philadelphia Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field (home of the Philadelphia Eagles). Also featured on NBC.

NHL Game of the Week on NBC

• November 23d: NY Rangers @ Philadelphia (1 pm ET)
• January 1st: Boston @ Chicago (1pm ET)
• January 20th: Washington @ Chicago (12:30 pm ET)
• February 2nd: Tampa Bay @ NY Rangers ( 8 pm ET)
• February 3rd: Boston @ Washington (12:30 pm ET)
• February 17th: NY Rangers @ Pittsburgh (12:30 pm ET) / St. Louis @ Minnesota (3 pm ET)
• February 23rd: Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia (8 pm ET)
• March 3rd: Washington @ NY Rangers (12:30 om ET)
• March 24th: Philadelphia @ Washington (12:30 pm ET)
• March 31st: NY Rangers @ Philadelphia (12:30 pm ET)

All games will feature NBC Sports’ live pre- and post-game shows with highlights and analysis. NHL Overtime will follow most games.

Click here for a full list of games being broadcast on NBC.