…Finally.
After having to wait since early June (or in my case, mid-May), and seeing both the ECHL and NHL release their schedules, AND having to wait on the NBA to finish theirs, the AHL finally released the 2016-17 slate on Monday afternoon.
As for the Devils:
-They will open the season on the road in Providence on Friday, October 14th against the Bruins. St. John’s will come in the next afternoon at 5 PM for the home opener.
The full schedule:
OCTOBER
14–@ Providence, 7:05 PM
15–ST. JOHN’S, 5:00 PM
21–BINGHAMTON, 7:00 PM
22–UTICA, 5:00 PM
23–@ Providence, 3:05 PM
26–@ W-B/Scranton, 7:05 PM
28–TORONTO, 7:00 PM
29–TORONTO, 5:00 PM
NOVEMBER
2–@ Bridgeport, 11:00 AM
5–@ Hershey, 7:00 PM
11–HERSHEY, 7:00 PM
12–ST. JOHN’S, 5:00 PM
16–@ Rochester, 7:05 PM
18–@ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
19–@ Syracuse, 7:00 PM
23–TORONTO, 7:00 PM
25–@ Hartford, 7:15 PM
26–ROCHESTER, 5:00 PM
29–@ Bridgeport, 7:00 PM
DECEMBER
2–UTICA, 7:00 PM
3–@ Utica, 7:00 PM
4–BINGHAMTON, 3:00 PM
7–BINGHAMTON, 7:00 PM
9–@ Syracuse, 7:00 PM
10–PROVIDENCE, 5:00 PM
14–@ Utica, 7:00 PM
17–@ Toronto, 1:30 PM
18–@ Toronto, 3:00 PM
21–BINGHAMTON, 7:00 PM
26–PROVIDENCE, 7:00 PM
30–TORONTO, 7:00 PM
31–@ Hartford, 5:00 PM
JANUARY
1–BRIDGEPORT, 3:00 PM
4–ST. JOHN’S, 7:00 PM
6–@ Utica, 7:00 PM
7–@ Lehigh Valley, 7:05 PM
11-@ Springfield, 7:05 PM
13–SPRINGFIELD, 7:00 PM
14–@ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
18–SYRACUSE, 7:00 PM
21–@ St. John’s, 4:00 PM NST (2:30 EST)
22-@ St John’s, 4:00 PM NST (2:30 EST)
27–@ Rochester, 7:05 PM
28–ROCHESTER, 5:00 PM
FEBRUARY
2–SYRACUSE, 7:00 PM
3–LEHIGH VALLEY, 7:00 PM
4–@ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
7–PROVIDENCE, 7:00 PM
10–@ Rochester, 7:05 PM
11–@ Toronto, 5:00 PM
12–@ Toronto, 3:00 PM
15–SYRACUSE, 7:00 PM
17–W/B-SCRANTON, 7:00 PM
18–BRIDGEPORT, 1:00 PM
20–UTICA, 1:00 PM
24–@ St. John’s, 7:30 PM NST (6:00 EST)
25–@St. John’s, 7:30 PM NST (6:00 EST)
MARCH
3–@ Providence, 7:05 PM
4–@ Utica, 7:00 PM
10–@ Binghamton, 7:05 PM
11–@ Bridgeport, 7:00 PM
17–SPRINGFIELD, 7:00 PM
18–@ Syracuse, 7:00 PM
19–@ Springfield, 3:05 PM
22–BRIDGEPORT, 7:00 PM
24–UTICA, 7:00 PM
25–PROVIDENCE, 5:00 PM
31–@ Providence, 7:05 PM
APRIL
1–HARTFORD, 5:00 PM
2–ROCHESTER, 3:00 PM
5–SYRACUSE, 7:00 PM
7–ST. JOHN’S, 7:00 PM
8–@ Syracuse, 7:00 PM
12–HARTFORD, 7:00 PM
14–@ Rochester, 7:05 PM
15–ROCHESTER, 5:00 PM
(home games in CAPS)
The Breakdown:
-8 games each against Providence, St. John’s, Binghamton, Utica, Toronto, Rochester, and Syracuse; 6 against Bridgeport; 4 against Hartford and Springfield; and 2 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hershey, and Lehigh Valley.
-Saturday leads the way with 26 games, followed by: Friday with 23; Wednesday with 14; Sunday with 8; Monday and Tuesday with 2: and 1 on Thursday.
-Only 7 3 in 3 sets, with 6 on the weekend and one Thursday-Friday-Saturday.
-Saturday home games remain at 5:00 (cue incessant groaning from the fanbase…not from me anyway), except for February 18th, a 1 PM start. All weekday home games are at 7:00 with the exception of February 20th, a Presidents Day 1 PM matinee.
-Longest homestand: 4, which happens twice (February 15th-20th and April 1st-7th).
-Longest road trip: 6 games, from February 24th-March 11th.
-April is very friendly, as 6 of their final 8 games are on home ice.
-One morning game this season, in Bridgeport on November 2nd.
One final scheduling note: a second preseason game will take place in Cromwell, CT on Sunday, October 9th at 1 PM against Hartford.
Thoughts Inside The Box 