Mark your calendars: The NHL schedule is here.

The league announced the full slate of games for the 2018-19 season Thursday afternoon. The schedule offers plenty of reasons to be excited - and once the dust settles on the draft and free agency, hockey fans won't have much else to cling to.

Here are five must-see games to circle for 2018-19.

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens - Oct. 3

The first game of the new campaign features the two oldest franchises in the league. The historic rivals routinely provide entertaining games, and above all else, they'll signal that hockey is officially back.

Opening night also features Washington's banner-raising ceremony, which should pale in comparison to some of the Capitals' celebrations this offseason.

Sabres vs. Bruins - Oct. 4

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

It's time to usher in the Rasmus Dahlin era in Buffalo, and hockey fans will get their first glimpse of the Swedish phenom and presumptive No. 1 pick when the Sabres open their season versus the Bruins.

The hype surrounding Dahlin is enormous, as his game has been compared to fellow countrymen Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson. The 18-year-old recorded 20 points in 41 games for Frolunda in the SHL last season, and also represented Sweden at the world juniors and Olympics. His arrival in Buffalo could serve as the turning point the franchise has long been seeking.

Devils vs. Oilers - Oct. 6

The Devils and Oilers will kick off their seasons across the pond in Gothenburg, Sweden as part of the 2018 NHL Global Series. The matchup features the last two MVPs, as Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall will renew acquaintances, plus a serious dose of Swedish talent, including Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, and Marcus Johansson.

The second installment of the Global Series takes place in November, when the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets travel to Helsinki, Finland.

Bruins vs. Blackhawks - Jan. 1

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You're never going to believe this, but the Chicago Blackhawks are scheduled to play in an outdoor game.

After a one-year break, the Blackhawks will suit up in their sixth outdoor game, this time versus the Bruins in the Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium. Both teams have played their fair share of hockey outside over the last few years, but the combined star power, the venue, and the potential for two retro-based Original Six jerseys should make this matchup worthwhile.

Islanders vs. Capitals - Jan. 18

After compiling a 205-89-34 record over four seasons with the Capitals, Barry Trotz will return to Washington on the visitor's bench after agreeing to a five-year deal with the Islanders.

Trotz's departure may not have been totally shocking, as it was known he was in need of a new deal, but it's uncommon for a head coach to leave after winning the Stanley Cup. His return to D.C. should provide some closure and help create quite an atmosphere - especially if the Isles and Caps are jockeying for position in the Metropolitan Division.

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Barry Trotz appears confident he'll begin his first season as head coach of the New York Islanders with their franchise player leading the attack.

Asked about the John Tavares situation on a conference call, Trotz said he had a "great conversation" with the All-Star and believes his negotiations with the organization are in "great hands" with new president and GM Lou Lamoriello, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.

Since last July 1, there has been rampant speculation on whether Tavares will hit the free-agent market or re-up with the Islanders on a long-term extension. It's still unclear which side he's leaning toward, but by hiring Lamoriello and Trotz, it's clear the Isles are doing everything they can to keep the 2009 No. 1 pick in orange and blue.

"I think what I know of Lou, what I know of John ... I felt strongly that once Lou gets with John ... Lou's going to execute a plan, a long-term plan that will be very successful so we can chase the Stanley Cup and win a Stanley Cup," Trotz added.

Related - Report: Tavares focusing on extension talks with Islanders

Teams can begin negotiating with Tavares on June 25, while the free-agency window officially opens July 1.

In 82 games in 2017-18, he has registered 37 goals and 47 assists.

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Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall are together once again, as the last two Hart Trophy winners and former teammates were named first-team All-Stars following the conclusion of the awards show in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.

Here's a look at the entire first team:

Hall is one of four players to receive the honor for the first time, joined by Kucherov, Hedman, and Rinne. Hedman was recognized as the league's top defenseman at the awards, while Rinne took home the Vezina as the NHL's best goaltender.

The league also announced the second-team All-Stars:

Other than Subban, all players on the list are making their first postseason All-Star appearance. MacKinnon finished as the runner-up to Hall in the Hart Trophy race, while Hellebuyck and Subban were finalists in their respective categories as well.

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New Jersey Devils winger Taylor Hall was awarded the Hart Trophy on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, edging out Colorado Avalanche sniper Nathan MacKinnon and Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar to claim the first MVP honor of his career.

Hall ranked sixth with 93 points in 2017-18, authoring a remarkable 26-game point streak in the process. His efforts were the main factor behind the Devils' first playoff appearance since 2012.

The 26-year-old was also nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association.

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Vegas Golden Knights architect George McPhee earned the General Manager of the Year award Wednesday night after building the most successful expansion franchise in the history of the four major North American sports.

McPhee earned the distinction over Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets and Steve Yzerman of the Tampa Bay Lightning after his perceived ragtag roster shocked the hockey world and reached the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural campaign.

The longtime executive ultimately lost to his old club, the Washington Capitals, but his masterful expansion draft and his club's Pacific Division title made this one a no-brainer.

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Tampa Bay Lightning blue-liner Victor Hedman earned the first Norris Trophy of his career Wednesday night at the NHL Awards, beating out Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings and P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators as the league's top defenseman for 2018.

Hedman tied the league lead among rearguards with 17 goals and ranked fourth with a career-high 63 points for the first-place Lightning.

The towering Swedish defenseman is one of several Lightning in the spotlight at the NHL Awards, as goaltender Andrei Vasilievskiy is up for the Vezina Trophy, while Steve Yzerman is a finalist for General Manager of the Year.

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One day after a report indicated Phil Kessel isn't opposed to accepting a trade to the Arizona Coyotes, general manager John Chayka made sure to set the details straight.

The initial report stated the Coyotes informed the Penguins a potential trade won't work because of Kessel's $6.8-million salary ($1.2 million is still paid by the Maple Leafs), but Chayka addressed the rumor Wednesday and said that's flat-out not true.

"I think it's terrible reporting," Chayka told Matt Layman of Arizona Sports. "It's inaccurate across the board from start to finish. I don't know where some things come up. I'm the one having trade discussions, those discussions with the Penguins haven't occurred. Unless someone else is making calls that I don't know about, I'm not sure where this information's coming from."

The Coyotes recently traded for Alex Galchenyuk, and have a verbal agreement on a contract extension worth $8 million per season in place with franchise blue-liner Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Taking those transactions into account, Arizona would still have over $10 million in available space, per CapFriendly.

"To speculate on our economics I think is unfair," Chayka said. "I think we're trying to build out our group here. We've got a young group and we're trying to build through the draft and develop. Again, I'm not sure where it's coming from, but the basis of that reporting's not coming from anything tied to the Coyotes and it's certainly not anywhere close to factual. "

Kessel's apparent availability comes weeks after a report revealed he and head coach Mike Sullivan butted heads over his deployment throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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On draft weekend one year ago, the Columbus Blue Jackets sent shockwaves through the NHL by pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal to acquire Artemi Panarin from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The move paid immediate dividends, as Panarin silenced critics and put together a career-best 82-point season - then added seven points in six playoff games - without Patrick Kane by his side, while his trade counterpart, Brandon Saad, struggled mightily to kick off his second stint in Chicago.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen looked like a genius for orchestrating the trade, but nearly 12 months to the day he acquired the Russian sniper, he finds himself on the opposite end of the spectrum, as news broke Tuesday that Panarin isn't concerned - at least, not at this point - about discussing a contract extension with Columbus, and the club will gauge how much interest the trade market has in its superstar.

Safe to say there will be a lot.

Players of Panarin's caliber rarely become available. The 26-year-old has one more season at $6 million before hitting unrestricted free agency. Perhaps Panarin is declining to commit as a tactic to create leverage, betting on himself to have another huge year in 2018-19 before having his pick of the litter when it comes to lucrative offers next summer. Should the Blue Jackets shop him as a rental, teams may be reluctant to mortgage significant pieces of their future for only one year of service.

That said, the possibility of a trade-and-sign remains, wherein Panarin guarantees an interested team that he will agree to new terms once joining, increasing his value. Panarin's name suddenly in the rumor mill creates the buzz and speculation hockey fans crave this time of year. Here are three teams, with possible assets included, that should get Kekalainen on the phone to see if they can work out an arrangement.

St. Louis Blues

2018-19 projected cap space: $12.9 million
Assets to offer: F Robby Fabbri, 2018 first-rounder (29th), F Klim Kostin, F Robert Thomas

First and foremost, Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko are longtime friends, and the Blues are almost sure to get a nod of approval from their best player to make a deal happen.

The Blues are coming off their first playoff miss since 2010-11, and if they were to ship Fabbri, a restricted free agent, they'd have no pressing contracts of impact to manage. Elsewhere, Kostin and Thomas are highly regarded prospects in the organization, but if packing one or both could add Panarin into a forward corps already featuring Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, and Jaden Schwartz, it could be worth the sacrifice.

Buffalo Sabres

2018-19 projected cap space: $19.1 million
Assets to offer: F Ryan O'Reilly, F Sam Reinhart, Two 2019 first-rounders

O'Reilly is one of the big fish on this summer's trade board, albeit for reasons unknown. The 27-year-old is one of the top two-way centermen in the league and is under contract at $7.5 million until 2023. Unloading his salary would create endless possibilities for the Sabres, and the thought of pairing Panarin on a top line with Jack Eichel, compounded with the pending arrival of Rasmus Dahlin, could accelerate Buffalo's seemingly never-ending rebuild.

In addition to O'Reilly, the Sabres own San Jose's 2019 first-rounder as part of the Evander Kane deal, and also could consider dealing the rights of RFA Sam Reinhart, who scored 20 goals in 44 games once the calendar flipped to 2018.

Anaheim Ducks

2018-19 projected cap space: $9.2 million
Assets to offer: 2018 1st-rounder (23rd), 2019 1st-rounder, F Jakob Silfverberg, D Brandon Montour, F Sam Steel, F Max Jones

The Ducks would certainly have to get creative to facilitate a trade for Panarin, but on the heels of a first-round sweep, general manager Bob Murray was adamant his club needs to change its approach, mainly by getting younger and quicker.

Anaheim has a nice collection of assets to potentially part with, starting with Silfverberg, who is bound for unrestricted free agency after next season. That diminishes his value a touch, but the Ducks could include prospects Steel and Jones to sweeten the pot. Otherwise, Montour - currently an RFA - is the young right-shot defenseman all teams covet and could form a dominant D-corps in Columbus with Seth Jones and Zach Werenski already in place.

A key issue for the Ducks' hypothetical pursuit of the Bread Man is an impending extension for All-Star goaltender John Gibson, who's up for a new deal after next season. No one said it would be easy, but finding a way to get it done could be the exact change Murray is looking to make.

(Salary cap info courtesy: CapFriendly)
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The 10 surviving members of the Humboldt Broncos will reunite for the first time at the NHL Awards on Wednesday in Las Vegas, the league announced.

In April, the Broncos team bus was heading to an SJHL playoff game when it collided with a transport truck. The collision killed 16, including 10 players and the head coach.

The NHL and hockey community worldwide rallied around the tragedy, raising over $15 million for a GoFundMe campaign. The immediate outpouring of support also included all NHL players wearing commemorative stickers on their helmets.

The awards show will feature ceremonies for first responders from October's mass shooting in Las Vegas as well, and members from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team in Florida.

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General manager Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins aren't satisfied with a second-round playoff elimination.

After their quest for a three-peat was cut short in May, Rutherford and his club have their sights set on another championship run in 2018-19, and roster changes could be in order with the draft and free agency period on the horizon.

"Yeah, it possibly is easier to move some guys now," Rutherford told Josh Yohe of The Athletic. "Those memories and those accomplishments never go away. But we can't live on those either. We want to win again. So, there's a real chance we'll make a couple of changes here in a little bit."

Asked what he's looking for in particular, Rutherford was clear.

"We need to get deeper," Rutherford said. "That's a big goal for us right now. I want more balance throughout the lineup."

Pittsburgh made a move for center Derick Brassard before February's trade deadline to bolster an already lethal attack, but ran into offensive issues once Evgeni Malkin suffered an injury in the postseason.

Rutherford has just under $5 million in cap space to work with this offseason, according to CapFriendly, with Bryan Rust and Jamie Oleksiak among the Penguins' notable restricted free agents in need of new contracts.

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