2016-17 Kings schedule + details, factoids

The NHL schedule is below. First, several “important” details:

-Via the Kings, every game is expected to sell-out. Prior seasons in which every game was sold out were 1991-92, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The release noted a club per-game record of an average attendance of 18,274 in 2015-16. Including playoffs, Los Angeles has sold out 205 straight games.

-National and local broadcast schedules will come out at a later date. Last year, the national broadcast schedule was released on July 27, while the FOX Sports West schedule was released on September 16.

-The Kings play the Ducks five times: November 1 (in Los Angeles), November 20 (in Anaheim), February 19 (in Anaheim), February 25 (in Los Angeles) and April 9 (in Anaheim). The games at Staples Center take place on a Tuesday and Saturday, while all three games in Anaheim are on Sundays and represent the second game of a back-to-back set for L.A.

-Each team has a bye week built into the schedule, a scheduling feature brokered when the NHLPA agreed to a three-on-three All-Star Game format. Los Angeles’ bye week will take place in February, as the team will face the Florida on the road on Thursday, February 9 and won’t play again until welcoming Arizona to Staples Center on Thursday, February 16.

-Speaking of the back-to-backs, the Kings will play a whopping 16 of them, up from 13 in 2015-16 and a league-low nine in 2014-15. This increase is due to the World Cup accommodations – regular season play opens a week later this year – as well as the bye week. In 2013-14, the last Olympic season, they played 14 back-to-backs. Back-to-backs are on October 29-30 (at STL / at CHI), November 10-11 (at MTL / at OTT), November 19-20 (vs NJD / at ANA), November 30 – December 1 (vs SJS / at ARI), December 15-16 (at DET / at PIT), December 22-23 (at NSH / at DAL), December 28-29 (at VAN / at EDM), January 23-24 (at NYR / at NJD), January 31 – February 1 (at ARI / vs COL), February 4-5 (at PHI / at WSH), February 18-19 (vs FLA / at ANA), February 27-28 (at MIN / at CGY), March 13-14 (vs STL / vs ARI), March 19-20 (at CGY / at EDM), March 28-29 (at EDM / at CGY) and April 8-9 (vs CHI / at ANA).

-Because of divisional scheduling imbalance – there are seven teams per division in the Western Conference and eight teams per division in the East – the Kings play five divisional teams five times and one divisional team four times. This has not worked out to Los Angeles’ favor from a competitive standpoint since the evolution from six to four divisions. The Kings have played four games against Edmonton in 2013-14 (they were very bad), Arizona in 2014-15 (they were very bad) and Calgary in 2015-16 (they were bad). This year, they’ll face Vancouver four times (they’re projected to be bad). Each of these years the Kings have played five-game season series against San Jose and Anaheim, two teams that are generally towards the top of the heap competitively. Next year the Las Vegas franchise is expected to join the division, which would create an eight-team Pacific and an awkward 15-team Western Conference. It’s not clear at this point how the scheduling will change; maybe Commissioner Bettman will address this at his availability at the NHL Awards tomorrow.

-As for the home/road divisional splits, Los Angeles will play Anaheim five times (2 home / 3 away), Arizona five times (3 home / 2 away), Calgary five times (2 home / 3 away), Edmonton five times (2 home / 3 away), San Jose five times (3 home / 2 away) and Vancouver four times (2 home / 2 away). The Kings’ first trip to the brand new Rogers Place in Edmonton will take place on December 29.

-Los Angeles plays Central Division teams three times each. The splits: Chicago (2 home / 1 away), Colorado (1 home / 2 away), Dallas (1 home / 2 away), Minnesota (1 home / 2 away), Nashville (2 home / 1 away), St. Louis (2 home / 1 away) and Winnipeg (2 home / 1 away). These home/road games versus Central Division teams alternate between either one or two home games from year to year (i.e., if L.A. plays in Chicago twice one year, they’ll play just once at Chicago the following year).

-Afternoon games! The Kings will play matinees on Sunday, November 13 (12:00 p.m. / at WPG), Saturday, November 19 (1:00 p.m. / vs NJD), Saturday, December 10 (1:00 p.m. / vs OTT), Saturday, January 7 (1:00 p.m. / vs MIN). Monday, January 16 (1:00 p.m. / vs TBL), Saturday, February 4 (10:00 a.m. / at PHI), Sunday, February 5 (9:00 a.m. / at WSH) and Saturday, February 25 (1:00 p.m. / vs ANA). All times are Pacific. Los Angeles will also play in Boston at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 18, so with a 2:00 p.m. start back home, that’s kind of a matinee for television viewers.

-All-Star Weekend will take place at Staples Center and LA Live January 28-29.

-Ticketing information for all home games will be released at a later date. Via the team’s release, those looking to secure a ticket package can join the wait list with a $50 deposit per seat. Deposits are also being accepted now for groups of 15 or more and for suite rentals. More information is available by calling 1.888.KINGS.LA or visiting LAKings.com/tickets, yada yada yada.

ALL TIMES PACIFIC

October (4 HOME, 5 ROAD)
Wed. Oct. 12 Los Angeles at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 14 Philadelphia at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Tue. Oct. 18 Los Angeles at Minnesota, 5:00 p.m.
Thu. Oct. 20 Los Angeles at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 22 Vancouver at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Tue. Oct. 25 Columbus at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Oct. 27 Nashville at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 29 Los Angeles at St. Louis, 5:00 p.m.
Sun. Oct. 30 Los Angeles at Chicago, 4:00 p.m.

November (8 HOME, 6 ROAD)
Tue. Nov. 1 Anaheim at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Nov. 3 Pittsburgh at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 5 Calgary at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Tue. Nov. 8 Los Angeles at Toronto, 4:30 p.m.
Thu. Nov. 10 Los Angeles at Montreal, 4:30 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 11 Los Angeles at Ottawa, 4:30 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 13 Los Angeles at Winnipeg, 12:00 p.m.
Tue. Nov. 15 Los Angeles at Colorado, 6:00 p.m.
Thu. Nov. 17 Edmonton at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 19 New Jersey at Los Angeles, 1:00 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 20 Los Angeles at Anaheim, 5:00 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 23 NY Islanders at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 26 Chicago at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 30 San Jose at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.

December (4 HOME, 10 ROAD)
Thu. Dec. 1 Los Angeles at Arizona, 6:00 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 4 Montreal at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Dec. 8 Carolina at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 10 Ottawa at Los Angeles, 1:00 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 13 Los Angeles at Buffalo, 4:00 p.m.
Thu. Dec. 15 Los Angeles at Detroit, 4:30 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 16 Los Angeles at Pittsburgh, 4:00 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 18 Los Angeles at Boston, 2:00 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 20 Los Angeles at Columbus, 4:00 p.m.
Thu. Dec. 22 Los Angeles at Nashville, 5:00 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 23 Los Angeles at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 28 Los Angeles at Vancouver, 7:00 p.m.
Thu. Dec. 29 Los Angeles at Edmonton, 6:00 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 31 San Jose at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.

January (7 HOME, 6 ROAD)
Tue. Jan. 3 Los Angeles at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 5 Detroit at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 7 Minnesota at Los Angeles, 1:00 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 9 Dallas at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 12 St. Louis at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 14 Winnipeg at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 16 Tampa Bay at Los Angeles, 1:00 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 18 San Jose at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 21 Los Angeles at NY Islanders, 4:00 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 23 Los Angeles at NY Rangers, 4:00 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 24 Los Angeles at New Jersey, 4:00 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 26 Los Angeles at Carolina, 4:00 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 31 Los Angeles at Arizona, 6:00 p.m.

February (5 HOME, 8 ROAD)
Wed. Feb. 1 Colorado at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 4 Los Angeles at Philadelphia, 10:00 a.m.
Sun. Feb. 5 Los Angeles at Washington, 9:00 a.m.
Tue. Feb. 7 Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Thu. Feb. 9 Los Angeles at Florida, 4:30 p.m.
Thu. Feb. 16 Arizona at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 18 Florida at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 19 Los Angeles at Anaheim, 6:00 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 21 Los Angeles at Colorado, 6:00 p.m.
Thu. Feb. 23 Boston at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 25 Anaheim at Los Angeles, 1:00 p.m.
Mon. Feb. 27 Los Angeles at Minnesota, 5:00 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 28 Los Angeles at Calgary, 6:00 p.m.

March (9 HOME, 5 AWAY)
Thu. Mar. 2 Toronto at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 4 Vancouver at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Thu. Mar. 9 Nashville at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 11 Washington at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Mon. Mar. 13 St. Louis at Los Angeles, 7:00 p.m.
Tue. Mar. 14 Arizona at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Mar. 16 Buffalo at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 19 Los Angeles at Calgary, 6:30 p.m.
Mon. Mar. 20 Los Angeles at Edmonton, 6:00 p.m.
Thu. Mar. 23 Winnipeg at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 25 NY Rangers at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Tue. Mar. 28 Los Angeles at Edmonton, 6:00 p.m.
Wed. Mar. 29 Los Angeles at Calgary, 6:00 p.m.
Fri. Mar. 31 Los Angeles at Vancouver, 7:00 p.m.

April (4 HOME, 1 AWAY)
Sun. Apr. 2 Arizona at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Tue. Apr. 4 Edmonton at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thu. Apr. 6 Calgary at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Apr. 8 Chicago at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Apr. 9 Los Angeles at Anaheim, 5:30 p.m.