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Central Division schedule analysis: What Blackhawks, others face in October

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CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 13: in Game One of the Western Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cuo Playoffs at the United Center on April 13, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

Teams can transcend back-to-backs and road trips. Conversely, it’s common for squads to squander the opportunities that come with long homestands.

Either way, it’s interesting to break down schedules; context can allow cooler heads to prevail. Sometimes you can see something extra-special forming when a team goes on a run even without factors working in their favor.

This is the third of four divisional breakdowns for October. Check out the Atlantic Division outlook here and the Pacific Division one in this post.

Also, click here for PHT’s in-depth season preview for the Central Division.

Blackhawks (won first two games, both at home)

Schedule

Mon, Oct 9 @ Toronto
Tue, Oct 10 @ Montreal
Thu, Oct 12 vs Minnesota
Sat, Oct 14 vs Nashville
Wed, Oct 18 @ St. Louis
Thu, Oct 19 vs Edmonton
Sat, Oct 21 @ Arizona
Tue, Oct 24 @ Vegas
Fri, Oct 27 vs Nashville
Sat, Oct 28 @ Colorado

After starting with two games at the United Center, the Blackhawks play six of their next 10 games on the road. It’s a fairly away-heavy schedule through late November, overall. None of it seems too outrageous, though.

The bigger issue might be back-to-back sets, particularly with a core that has a lot of mileage on it. Chicago faces three back-to-back sets in October alone.

Avalanche (One win and one loss, both games on road)

Schedule

Mon, Oct 9 @ Boston
Wed, Oct 11 vs Boston
Fri, Oct 13 vs Anaheim
Sat, Oct 14 @ Dallas
Tue, Oct 17 @ Nashville
Thu, Oct 19 vs St. Louis
Tue, Oct 24 vs Dallas
Fri, Oct 27 @ Vegas
Sat, Oct 28 vs Chicago

The Avalanche begin the season with a three-game road trip, which ends on Monday. They face a back-to-back set in mid October and late in the month. Starting with five of seven road games is a challenge overall.

Colorado’s schedule is generally heavy on road games through Nov. 19. The table is set for tough times, which might not be such an issue if the Avs count on “tanking,” anyway.

Stars (Lost twice, one at home and one away)

Schedule

Tue, Oct 10 vs Detroit
Thu, Oct 12 @ Nashville
Sat, Oct 14 vs Colorado
Tue, Oct 17 vs Arizona
Thu, Oct 19 @ Arizona
Sat, Oct 21 vs Carolina
Tue, Oct 24 @ Colorado
Thu, Oct 26 @ Edmonton
Fri, Oct 27 @ Calgary
Mon, Oct 30 @ Vancouver

Don’t be surprised if there’s talk of the Stars being inconsistent even if they start to get it together.

Tuesday begins a reasonably kind stretch, with four home vs. six road games.

They’ll be rotating home and road runs in more dynamic ways starting on Oct. 24. That visit to Colorado begins a five-game road trip, then Dallas will see three at home and three more away.

With one back-to-back remaining in October, it could be worse.

Wild (Lost two games, both on the road)

Schedule

Thu, Oct 12 @ Chicago
Sat, Oct 14 vs Columbus
Fri, Oct 20 @ Winnipeg
Sat, Oct 21 @ Calgary
Tue, Oct 24 vs Vancouver
Thu, Oct 26 vs NY Islanders
Sat, Oct 28 vs Pittsburgh
Tue, Oct 31 vs Winnipeg

The Wild will close off a three-game road trip on Thursday, although their season also starts with three of five games on the road. Some of that is tempered by the big gap in their loss in Carolina on Saturday vs. Thursday’s trip to Chicago. They begin a five-game homestand on Oct. 24, only to follow that with four away contests.

Minnesota’s going to have to grind to keep from a bad start. This isn’t the most extreme schedule, but it’s not the easiest by any stretch.

Predators (two losses, both on the road)

Schedule

Tue, Oct 10 vs Philadelphia
Thu, Oct 12 vs Dallas
Sat, Oct 14 @ Chicago
Tue, Oct 17 vs Colorado
Thu, Oct 19 @ Philadelphia
Sat, Oct 21 @ NY Rangers
Tue, Oct 24 vs Calgary
Fri, Oct 27 @ Chicago
Sat, Oct 28 vs NY Islanders

The Predators need to shake off this tough start to the season. With three of four games at home coming up, there’s an opportunity to get back on track (and for boisterous “Smashville” crowds to give this group a little more energy).

Oct. 19 begins a dicey stretch. They play three of five games on the road, but when you check the four-game trip that begins November, that’s seven of nine games away from Nashville from Oct. 19 - Nov. 7.

There are some solid opportunities after that, but the Predators need to keep their cool for the next month or so.

Blues (Won first two games, one at home and one away)

Schedule

Mon, Oct 9 @ NY Islanders
Tue, Oct 10 @ NY Rangers
Thu, Oct 12 @ Florida
Sat, Oct 14 @ Tampa Bay
Wed, Oct 18 vs Chicago
Thu, Oct 19 @ Colorado
Sat, Oct 21 @ Vegas
Wed, Oct 25 vs Calgary
Fri, Oct 27 @ Carolina
Sat, Oct 28 vs Columbus
Mon, Oct 30 vs Los Angeles

The Blues begin the season with two straight wins, an especially nice achievement considering all the injuries they’re dealing with.

It’s also useful considering what is ahead. Beginning on Monday, the Blues go on a four-game road trip against East teams, including a back-to-back set. The Blues also play six of seven games on the road (and face two back-to-back sets) from Oct. 9-21. Extending from Oct. 9 - 27, seven of nine games are on the road.

Yeah, not easy.

The Blues then get four straight home games and six of seven in St. Louis. Most of that comes in November, so this next month could be a struggle.

Jets (Two losses, one at home and one on the road)

Schedule

Mon, Oct 9 @ Edmonton
Thu, Oct 12 @ Vancouver
Sat, Oct 14 vs Carolina
Tue, Oct 17 vs Columbus
Fri, Oct 20 vs Minnesota
Thu, Oct 26 @ Pittsburgh
Fri, Oct 27 @ Columbus
Sun, Oct 29 vs Pittsburgh
Tue, Oct 31 @ Minnesota

Not the greatest start to the season or to a three-game Western Canada road trip for the Jets here. The good news is that their schedule is fairly reasonable, with only one back-to-back set and fairly standard home vs. away mixes.

Then again, as fun as probably will be to watch, two games apiece against the Blue Jackets and Penguins might not be the easiest draw.