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If the slate of NHL games seems a bit thin this month, you’re probably catching a team in the midst of its league-wide mandated bye week. Remember that fun five-day break where your hockey team wasn’t playing last season? Well it’s back, folks!
In case you missed it, the NHL gives every team in the league a mandated five-day “bye week” thanks to the terms and conditions agreed upon in the latest collective bargaining agreement. Last year, the NHL had bye weeks from January to March, spreading out the schedule a bit so the league could pace itself.
However, last season the teams coming off the break had, at one point, a combined 8-14-4 record by March as they were facing teams that had not come off a break in their first game back.
To combat that problem, the NHL now has 15 teams taking a bye in the first week then the remaining 16 teams to cover a span of two weeks. Sunday Jan. 7 started the first bye week, with days off ranging from five to seven. To help you keep track of when your favorite team goes on a bye, we put together this comprehensive list of all 31 teams’ dates.
Atlantic Division
- Boston Bruins: Jan. 8-12
- *Buffalo Sabres: Jan. 12-17
- Detroit Red Wings: Jan. 8-12
- *Florida Panthers: Jan. 13-18
- Montreal Canadiens: Jan. 8-12
- **Ottawa Senators: Jan. 11-17
- *Tampa Bay Lightning: Jan. 12-17
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Jan. 11-15
Metropolitan Division
- Carolina Hurricanes: Jan. 15-19
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Jan. 13-17
- New Jersey Devils: Jan. 8-12
- New York Islanders: Jan. 8-12
- New York Rangers: Jan. 8-12
- Philadelphia Flyers: Jan. 8-12
- Pittsburgh Penguins: Jan. 8-12
- Washington Capitals: Jan. 13-17
Central Division
- Chicago Blackhawks: Jan. 15-19
- *Colorado Avalanche: Jan. 7-12
- *Dallas Stars: Jan. 7-12
- Minnesota Wild: Jan. 15-19
- *Nashville Predators: Jan. 10-15
- *St. Louis Blues: Jan. 10-15
- *Winnipeg Jets: Jan. 14-19
Pacific Division
- *Anaheim Ducks: Jan. 7-12
- Arizona Coyotes: Jan. 7-11
- Calgary Flames: Jan. 15-19
- *Edmonton Oilers: Jan. 14-19
- *Los Angeles Kings: Jan. 7-12
- San Jose Sharks: Jan. 8-12
- Vancouver Canucks: Jan. 15-19
- Vegas Golden Knights: Jan. 8-12
* Indicates six-day break
**Indicates seven-day break