The 2022-2023 NHL regular season will be the first season they’ll follow the regular schedule since COVID-19 took the world by storm last 2020. It had temporarily paused the season from late December to early January. Fortunately, the teams could play a full 82-game despite the delay.
That’s why many fans are all eyes to this new season that will take place on October 11, 2022. If you’re one of the many league fans, here are a few things you should keep in mind as the season rolls over.
2022-2023 NHL Season
The 2021-2022 season of the NHL ended with the Colorado Avalanche bagging home the Stanley Cup earlier this year. However, as the regular season commences this October, it will be the team’s first time for a defense title.
Fans will be witnessing new things for the 2022-2023 NHL season. This year, the season will officially start on October 7 (Wednesday) to 8 (Thursday) for the 2022 NHL Global Series between San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators in Prague. This is going to be the NHL’s first global game since 2019.
Moreover, on October 11 (Sunday) at 7:30 pm ET, the New York Rangers will host the Tampa Bay Lightning before the game between Las Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings, where fans can watch the event on ESPN. Also, people can expect the defending team, Colorado Avalanche, to raise their banner the next night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Schedule
For future NHL betting, bettors can now check the official schedule for this season. A significant schedule that fans should look forward to is the rematch between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 11, 7:30 pm.
Moreover, the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown will take place on November 25. The Pittsburgh Penguins will visit the Philadelphia Flyers at 5 pm ET in Wells Fargo Arena as the Lightning hosts the St. Louis Blues at Amalie Arena at 7:30 pm ET.
Here is a list of the schedule for the October 11-13 games to give you a glimpse of the first three nights of the season.
- October 11
- New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- October 12
- Los Angeles Kings vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- October 13
- Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins
- Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Anaheim Ducks vs. Seattle Kraken
- Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks
Stanley Cup Favorites
As the new season of NHL comes near, bettors, sportsbooks, and experts are now talking about possible candidates for the Stanley Cup. With the preseason games, many fans expected significant improvement from other groups and a subtle decline from some. Here’s a list of the early favorites for the 2023 Stanley Cup to walk you through the current situation.
Colorado Avalanche (+500)
As defending champions, the Avalanche proved their ability last season, and they’re still the favorites to win the 2023 Stanley Cup. This season, the Colorado Avalanche will remain a powerhouse with returning players Nathan Mackinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and Gabriel Landeskog. With this lineup, it’s almost certain that the team will make it back to the postseason.
Toronto Maple Leafs (+900)
Although Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won a single playoff series since 2004 against the Ottawa Senators, it seems like they’re still the second favorites to win the Stanley Cup title. They faced a huge boulder during the start of the season last year as they faced Tampa Bay Lightning.
They could’ve finished as the first in Atlantic Division if they’d won their first-round game against the Lightning. Nonetheless, the event should’ve become a valuable lesson for the team.
Florida Panthers (+1000)
During the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the odds of the Panthers changed significantly. The Florida Panthers have won a playoff series for the first time since 1996. Despite being ousted in the second round, the Panthers sit quietly as the third favorite for the Stanley Cup.
People should note that last season, the team accumulated 340 goals and reached the playoffs as a No. 1 seed. Moreover, the team decided to change their head coach and hired Paul Maurice, the ex-coach of the Winnipeg Jets. Fans can expect even greater things from this team with this change.
Tampa Bay Lightning (+1000)
The Tampa Bay Lightning were the champions in both 2020 and 2021. Although they showcased an excellent performance during the finals this season, they were beaten 4-2 by Colorado. In connection with that, it wasn’t a clear ride for the Lightning. They only finished third in the Atlantic Division with only three points gap before the fourth seed.
The team could pass through Maple Leads, Rangers, and Panthers to the Finals with immediate improvement. At +1000 odds, the Tampa Bay Lightning are regarded as strong opponents but only coming as fourth in this list, and it can be explained by the fact that the other teams have significant strengths compared to the team and not because the Lightning lack anything.
Final Thoughts
After reading through this article, you know what to expect for the 2022-2023 NHL season. It seems like teams keep on improving, and fans can look forward to these changes. Also, with the addition of the Global series, it seems like this season will be one heck of a ride for everyone.
