Notes and factoids on the 2015-16 schedule

If you missed it earlier, the Kings’ 2015-16 schedule can be found here. The takeaways:

UNBALANCED SCHEDULE. Of Pacific Division teams, the Kings will face Anaheim, Edmonton and Vancouver at home three times and on the road twice, and Arizona and San Jose at home twice and on the road three times. Los Angeles faces Calgary only four times (two home, two away) after having played one fewer game against Edmonton and Arizona in the two seasons since realignment.

THE CENTRAL. The Kings face all Central Division teams three times. Minnesota, Colorado and Dallas visit Staples Center twice, while L.A. travels to Chicago, Winnipeg, St. Louis and Nashville twice this season. The lone home game against the Blackhawks? Saturday, November 28.

KEY DATES. The Kings open the schedule on Wednesday, October 7 at home against San Jose and close the schedule at home on Saturday, April 9 against Winnipeg, the Jets’ lone visit to Staples Center. New Year’s Eve will be spent in Calgary, Valentine’s Day in love-infested Newark.

HOME STAND. Los Angeles opens the season at home with a five-game home stand, one of three season-long five-game home stands. San Jose, Arizona, Vancouver, Minnesota and Colorado visit Staples Center to get the ball rolling on 2015-16.

ROAD TRIP. The Kings will compact all Eastern Conference road games into just three separate road trips. The longest of the jaunts is the annual Grammy trip, and it’s a tough one: between February 9 and 20, Los Angeles plays seven straight road games at Boston, the Islanders, the Rangers, New Jersey, Washington, St. Louis and Nashville.

NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN. Speaking of the Grammy trip, that game on Thursday, February 11 at the New York Islanders will be Los Angeles’ first visit to Brooklyn instead of Uniondale. It’s scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. locally. Behold: A new Behold post on February 11.

MEMORIES. The Kings have only two games remaining at Rexall Place, barring any playoff match-ups (stranger things have happened, and the Oilers will eventually be good. Just probably not this year). Los Angeles plays in Edmonton on October 25 and December 29. In 2016-17, the Oilers will move downtown to Rogers Place.

FREEWAY FACEOFF. Anaheim will visit Staples Center three times for the first time since the 2011-12 season (one designated home game in 2013-14 was played at Dodger Stadium). The Ducks visit the Kings on February 4, March 5 and April 7, and Los Angeles braves traffic on the way down to Orange County on January 17 and February 28.

DAYTIME HOCKEY. Home matinees begin at 1:00 p.m. and are scheduled for October 31 (Nashville), November 7 (Florida), December 5 (Pittsburgh), January 2 (Philadelphia), January 16 (Ottawa), March 5 (Anaheim) and April 2 (Dallas). All are on Saturdays. On the road, the Kings will face Carolina at 10:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, November 22, and New Jersey at 9:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, February 14.

BACK-TO-BACKS. There are more of them this year! After a schedule that was light on two-in-twos last season, the Kings have 13 back-to-back sets in 2015-16. They are: October 22-23 (@ SJS, vs CAR), November 2-3 (@ CHI, @ STL), November 22-23 (@ CAR, @ FLA), December 5-6 (vs PIT, vs TBL), December 11-12 (@ PIT, @ BUF), December 28-29 (@ VAN, @ EDM), January 16-17 (vs OTT, @ ANA), January 23-24 (@ ARI, @ SJS), February 11-12 (@ NYI, @ NYR), February 27-28 (vs BUF, @ ANA), March 14-15 (@ CHI, @ DAL), March 21-22 (@ NSH, @ MIN) and April 4-5 (@ VAN, @ CGY). That February 27-28 back-to-back probably won’t sit well with the coaching staff; the Buffalo game starts at 8:00 p.m. and is followed by a 6:00 p.m. start the next night in Anaheim.