Chirps from Center Ice

A tradition unlike any other…

League release here. Penguins release here.

Let’s cut and paste what we cut and pasted last year!

1) Do you have a schedule matrix of opponents? Anyone in the Conference we are not playing?

No Western Conference teams this season. All 14 teams in the Eastern Conference, however.

2) Longest road trip? Longest home stand?

Longest road trip spans late February going into March, eight games. Longest homestand is mid-December, before Christmas.

3) How many three in threes?

There were four last year, up from two the year prior. That number this year is five, but not until late in the season starting mid-February for back to back weekends, two in March and one on the penultimate weekend of the regular season.

4) How many work night and Sunday home games?

Two Sunday home games (January and March) and eight Wednesday home games.

5) Any off the wall schedule time quirks?

No. They don’t play on a Monday or Thursday at all. Standard start times, no kids day games.

6) Where’s the All-Star Classic this year?

Sticking with the “I don’t know why we are having a League showcase in Central New York or New England when we can have it in ,much warmer weather” trope, Coachella Valley will host the 2025 festivities in February.

7) Playoff structure?

No official mention, but you have to assume that it will be the same as it was last year. 23 teams, same format. Get ready to have the Calder Cup hoisted on Independence Day weekend, buddy.

8) What about preseason games?

No word on that yet.

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This schedule release is blah, drab and very disappointing because the only thing that changes is the year. 12 games against Hershey, 12 games against Lehigh Valley and the rest is  just fill in games against the rest of the Conference fodder. Other teams are seeing Western Conference teams (like Lehigh Valley and Springfield) but not us. I’m not going to waste the energy on how I think it can work to add just a few Western Conference teams every year. Disappointing, disappointing, disappointing.

Anyway, back to summer. If you don’t know I love this time of year. Talk to you in the Fall.