Blackhawks face 14 back-to-backs, only one four-game homestand in 2018-19

The Blackhawks’ schedule was unveiled on Thursday, and for the second straight year, the absence of the circus and ice show trips will be felt. The Hawks have no road trips of more than three games, and no homestands of more than four games (and just one of those) in a schedule that opens Oct. 4 in Ottawa. The Hawks then head to St. Louis on Oct. 6 before the home opener against Toronto on Oct. 7.

The Hawks have 14 back-to-back sets, and will have their bye week at the end of January, right before a geographically baffling three-game trip to Buffalo, Minnesota and Edmonton.

Among the highlights of the schedule are the Jan. 1 Winter Classic against the Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium, a Nov. 21 visit to the Stanley Cup champion Capitals, and a Jan. 3 game against the Islanders at the renovated Nassau Coliseum, which will host 12 games this season as the Islanders await the construction of a new arena. The Hawks will face their arch-rival Blues three times in October, and four times in the first six weeks, then they don’t meet again until the final week of the season — part of a four-game divisional gantlet against Winnipeg. St. Louis, Dallas and Nashville.

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The preseason schedule is three home-and-away sets against Columbus, Detroit and Ottawa between Sept. 18-29.

Here’s the schedule in full:

2018-19 Season Schedule – Graphic