When does the NHL schedule come out for 2023/24 season? Anticipating the most sought-after offseason date

The NHL offseason is now underway as teams look toward the 2023-24 season, but when does the schedule come out?

The NHL, unlike the NFL and other sports, does not have a certain date for when the schedule is released every year. Instead, the schedule comes out sometime in July or August, and this year, it is expected to come out either in late July or early August.

The league needs to confirm the dates with all 32 teams for the arena, while also confirming with the TV rightsholders, which makes the process a bit longer.

The 2023/24 season is expected to run from early to mid-October to mid-April. The Stanley Cup will likely be lifted sometime in mid-June.

Some dates of NHL schedule have been released

Although the full schedule hasn't been released, the dates of some key games have.

On Sept. 23 and 24, the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings will play in Melbourne in the preseason for the NHL Global Series. The NHL has been playing the first two preseason games in Europe but will be going to Australia this year, and the season will likely kick off two weeks after these games.

On Oct. 29, the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames for the Heritage Classic which is an outdoor game at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Next, from Nov. 16-19, the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators will head to Stockholm, Sweden, to play a pair of games. Those games are already circled on the calendars of many Swedish players.

"It's going to be unbelievable," Red Wings' Lucas Raymond said about playing at home. "So excited when I heard the news. I texted all the guys immediately, told them 'OK, buckle up.' It'll be really fun. I can finally make some dinner reservations, too. I'm usually just cruising along. So, that'll be really exciting, and to play in front of friends and family, it'll be really special."

On Jan. 1, 2024, the annual Winter Classic will be played between the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken in Seattle.

The final two games on the already released schedule are the NHL Stadium Series. On Feb. 17, the Philadelphia Flyers will play the New Jersey Devils at MetLife Stadium, while on Feb. 18, the New York Rangers will play the New York Islanders at MetLife Stadium.

The All-Star game will take place on Feb. 2 and 3 in Toronto, Ontario.