Just as I suspected...another horrible schedule. The 2007-2008 schedule is, once again--since the new CBA--extremely unbalanced and heavy on divisional teams.
Here's my brief analysis of the 2007-08 Schedule:
Positives:
Not many, but the Wings will face the Stanley Cup Champion Ducks, with former Wings Matthieu Schneider, on opening night. Should be interesting to see Schneids on the blue line with Pronger and, possibly, Neidermeyer.
Alexander Ovechkin will make his first visit to Detroit on Dec. 17th. This phenomenal player should have already played in Detroit by now, but I guess beggers can't be chosers in "the new NHL."
With 2 games in Detroit aginst the Los Angeles Kings, Wings fans will get to see hometown hero and promising young defenseman Jack Johnson (University of Michigan). The 6-1, 200 lb. Johnson is one of the most promising young defensemen to come out of the draft in years. He holds many records at Michigan. He played 5 games last season (no points, -5, 18PIM).
Negatives:
Where are the Original Six matchups? Of course, there aren't any. The Original Six teams, especially Detroit, have been disrespected and almost forgotten by this commissioner. This is nothing new, but in my opinion it reflects how out of touch with the hardcore hockey fan that Gary Bettman really is. So, let's look at the negatives:
No Toronto at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No Boston at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No Montreal at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No New York Rangers.
Too many games against division teams, specifically Columbus. The division heavy schedule is a joke and a slap in the face to the storied tradition of the Detroit Red Wings.
Most of the games are against teams in two or three time zones away. Why? Because the Red Wings continue to play in the Western Conference, even though they are in the Eastern Time Zone. They out-travel every team in the NHL, some by nearly 10 times. Until this changes, until Detroit is put in the Eastern Conference where they belong, this will always be an issue.
October
3 Wed. ANAHEIM Joe Louis Arena 7:00
6 Sat. At Chicago United Center 8:30
8 Mon. EDMONTON Joe Louis Arena 7:30
10 Wed. CALGARY Joe Louis Arena 7:30
12 Fri. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
14 Sun. At Los Angeles Staples Center 8:00
15 Mon. At Anaheim Honda Center 10:00
18 Thu. At San Jose HP Pavilion 10:30
20 Sat. At Phoenix Glendale Arena 9:00
24 Wed. VANCOUVER Joe Louis Arena 7:30
26 Fri. SAN JOSE Joe Louis Arena 7:30
28 Sun. At Vancouver GM Place 10:00
30 Tue. At Edmonton Rexall Place 9:00
November
1 Thu. At Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome 9:00
7 Wed. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Fri. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
11 Sun. At Chicago United Center 7:00
13 Tue. At St. Louis Savvis Center 7:00
17 Sat. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:00
18 Sun. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 5:00
21 Wed. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
22 Thu. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
24 Sat. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 7:00
27 Tue. CALGARY Joe Louis Arena 7:00
29 Thu. TAMPA BAY Joe Louis Arena 7:30
December
1 Sat. PHOENIX Joe Louis Arena 7:00
4 Tue. At Montreal Bell Centre 7:00
7 Fri. MINNESOTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sun. CAROLINA Joe Louis Arena 5:00
10 Mon. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
13 Thu. EDMONTON Joe Louis Arena 7:30
15 Sat. FLORIDA Joe Louis Arena 7:00
17 Mon. WASHINGTON Joe Louis Arena 7:00
19 Wed. LOS ANGELES Joe Louis Arena 7:30
20 Thu. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
22 Sat. At Minnesota Excel Energy Center 8:00
26 Wed. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
27 Thu. At Colorado Pepsi Center 9:00
29 Sat. At Phoenix Glendale Arena 9:00
31 Mon. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:00
January
2 Wed. DALLAS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
5 Sat. At Dallas American Airlines Center 2:00
6 Sun. At Chicago United Center 7:00
8 Tue. COLORADO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
10 Thu. MINNESOTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
12 Sat. At Ottawa Scotiabank Place 7:00
15 Tue. ATLANTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
17 Thu. VANCOUVER Joe Louis Arena 7:30
19 Sat. At San Jose HP Pavilion 10:30
22 Tue. At Los Angeles Staples Center 10:30
23 Wed. At Anaheim Honda Center 10:00
30 Wed. PHOENIX Joe Louis Arena 7:30
February
1 Fri. COLORADO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
2 Sat. At Boston TD Banknorth Garden 7:00
5 Tue. At Minnesota Excel Energy Center 8:00
7 Thu. LOS ANGELES Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sat. At Toronto Air Canada Centre 3:00
10 Sun. ANAHEIM Joe Louis Arena 1:00
12 Tue. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
15 Fri. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
17 Sun. At Dallas American Airlines Center 1:00
18 Mon. At Colorado Pepsi Center 8:00
22 Fri. At Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome 9:00
23 Sat. At Vancouver GM Place 10:00
26 Tue. At Edmonton Rexall Place 9:00
29 Fri. SAN JOSE Joe Louis Arena 7:30
March
2 Sun. At Buffalo HSBC Arena 3:00
5 Wed. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sun. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 3:00
11 Tue. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
13 Thu. DALLAS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
15 Sat. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 1:00
16 Sun. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 3:00
19 Wed. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
20 Thu. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
22 Sat. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 7:00
25 Tue. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
28 Fri. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
30 Sun. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 3:00
April
2 Wed. At Chicago United Center 8:30
3 Thu. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
6 Sun. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 3:00
2 comments:
I know the travel schedule seems awful, but it turns out that the Wings are actually in the middle of the pack on total travel.
There was a spreadsheet on that stuff posted recently (Kukla's? I forget.)
The Wings are the seventeeth on the "total travel" list, with 36,800 miles. The most is Vancouver at a whopping 54,000 total miles and the least is New Jersey with 22,900 miles.
It's a shitty schedule, sure. But the mileage total is actually a myth. I was really surprised by the data -- I used to feel we were getting the shaft, big-time. But we're not.
Really? Does that date take into account the miles traveled during the playoffs too, or just regular season?
Also, does Vancouver or the teams above Detroit go through as many time zones as Detroit? Or does Vancouver stay relatively in the same zone?
I'd like to see the spread sheet. Thanks for the tip, that's pretty cool. And thanks for commenting, I appreciate it!
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