Feb 29, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the ice before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Detroit Red Wings at American Airlines Center. The Red Wings defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The 2016-17 NHL schedule is jam-packed, thanks to a late start because of the World Cup and a bye week for each team.
Back-to-backs and stretches of three games in four days are more common than ever before because of the condensed schedule. The season runs from Wednesday, Oct. 12, to Sunday, April 9, which at 180 days is almost a week shorter than 2015-16.
The Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks each have 15 back-to-back sets. Pittsburgh also plays four games in seven days around the three-day Christmas break.
Players on every team will have at least five full days off from games and practices sometime in January or February.
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