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Report: Teams to play 18 divisional games, 30 vs. rest of conference

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The NHL has yet to announce what it’s 2013 regular season schedule will look like, but it appears the matrix has been set for how the games will be divvied up.

It will look like this...

Four games vs. two divisional opponents (4 x 2 = 8)

Five games vs. two divisional opponents (5 x 2 = 10)

Three games vs. 10 conference, non-divisional opponents (3 x 10 = 30)

...for a grand total of 48 games.

As expected, there will be no crossover play between the Eastern and Western Conferences.

The news, first reported by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, differs from last week’s report by the Pittsburgh Tribune’s Rob Rossi -- in that matrix, teams were set to play divisional opponents seven times (7 x 4 = 28) and remaining conference foes twice (2 x 10 = 20).

We’re still waiting for feedback and analysis from various teams. It’ll be curious to hear how clubs will react to the unbalanced home/away split in the five-game series against divisional opponents.

Update

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has confirmed to the Orange County Register the NHL will begin its 48-game schedule on Jan. 19.

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