The National Hockey League's 2016-17 regular-season schedule has been released, featuring four outdoor games, two of which will be played on consecutive days to begin January.

Related: 2016-17 home openers announced, Penguins to host Capitals

Here's a look at other key dates to look forward to over the course of the dog days of summer.

Stanley Cup Final rematch

• The Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks will renew acquaintances early in the season, with the Stanley Cup finalists meeting twice in the season's opening weeks (Oct. 20 @ Pittsburgh, Nov. 5 @ San Jose). The championship banner will have already been raised to the roof for the Sharks to gaze upon.

'Sup, coach?

Randy Carlyle, Mike Yeo, and Bruce Boudreau all have new coaching gigs, meaning return dates to their former stomping grounds.

A meeting of generational talents

• Due to respective injuries suffered by both players, the hockey world was robbed of a Sidney Crosby / Connor McDavid showdown in the latter's rookie season. Health permitting, their first meeting will come Nov. 8, when the Oilers are scheduled to visit the Penguins.

The next ones

• Patrick Laine believes he should be selected first overall, and he'll get a chance to show why when he takes on the likely top selection in Auston Matthews. Their first head-to-head is expected to take place Oct. 19 when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Winnipeg Jets.

Phil returns a champion

• When Phil Kessel returned to Toronto for the first time since being traded by the Maple Leafs, he received a smattering of boos and no video tribute. On Dec. 17, he'll visit the Air Canada Centre as a Cup champion. Hot dogs for everyone!

Welcome to Rogers Place

• The Edmonton Oilers begin the 2016-17 season at their new home rink - Rogers Place - with an opening night tilt against rival Calgary Flames.

Farewell to "The Joe"

• At the other end of the spectrum, the Detroit Red Wings will play their final regular-season game at Joe Louis Arena on April 9 against the visiting New Jersey Devils. The Red Wings will call Little Caesars Arena home beginning in 2017-18.

Take it outside

• Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic: Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets, Oct. 23, 2016.
• NHL Centennial Classic: Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs, Jan. 1, 2017.
• Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic: Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues, Jan. 2, 2017.
• Coors Light NHL Stadium Series: Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, Feb. 18, 2017.

Finally, here are other relevant dates to circle:

• Opening night: Wednesday, Oct. 12
• Christmas Break: Saturday, Dec. 24 - Monday, Dec. 26
• All-Star Break: Friday, Jan. 27 - Monday, Jan. 30
• Trade deadline: Tuesday, Feb. 28
• Last Day of Regular Season: Sunday, April 9

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Mark your calendars, because hockey will be back before we know it.

The NHL released the complete 2016-17 regular-season schedule Tuesday, with plenty of dates to look forward to, beginning with four outdoor games:

• Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic: Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets, Oct. 23, 2016.
• NHL Centennial Classic: Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs, Jan. 1, 2017.
• Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic: Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues, Jan. 2, 2017.
• Coors Light NHL Stadium Series: Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, Feb. 18, 2017.

The season will begin later than usual thanks to the World Cup of Hockey, with four games set for opening night on Oct. 12.

The regular-season schedule will pause from Jan. 27-30 for the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, while 10 contests are scheduled for the last day of the season (April 9), including the Detroit Red Wings' final game at Joe Louis Arena.

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Vincent Lecavalier is hanging up his skates after 17 NHL seasons.

The 36-year-old center officially announced his retirement from professional hockey Tuesday, offering the following statement through the Los Angeles Kings:

Hockey has provided me so much in my lifetime but requires an incredible commitment. It is now time for me to devote more time to my family.

Hockey is the greatest team sport in the world. There is nothing like sharing a locker room with your teammates and competing together day in and day out. I have made lifelong friends and I’d like to thank them for making this an unforgettable journey … Thank you

Drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1998, Lecavalier appeared in 1,212 career games, the majority of which were with the Florida-based club. He ends his career as Tampa Bay's leader in games played (1,037) and goals (383), and was an integral part of the team's Stanley Cup win in 2004.

After the Lightning bought out his contract following the 2013 lockout, he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, recording 20 goals and 58 points in 133 games.

Lecavalier declared his intention to retire after being traded to the Los Angeles Kings this past season. The move was agreed to as Lecavalier looked to go out on top as a Stanley Cup champion, but the Kings' playoff run came to an abrupt end thanks to a first-round loss at the hands of the San Jose Sharks.

He mentioned both the Lightning and Kings in his statement:

Thank you to the Tampa Bay Lightning for drafting me and providing me the opportunity to embark on my NHL career. I will never forget winning the Cup together in 2004, and the incredible support from Lightning fans. To the LA Kings, thank you for providing me the opportunity to finish my career on a positive note.

The decision will save both the Kings and Flyers a significant amount against the salary cap:

Lecavalier himself will also continue to earn salary from the Lightning as part of the aforementioned buyout.

Altogether, Lecavalier scored 421 goals and added 528 assists in the regular season, while adding 26 goals and 30 assists in 75 playoff games.

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Tim Murray certainly has a way with words.

The Buffalo Sabres general manager, who acquired the rights to free agent forward Jimmy Vesey on Monday, creatively expressed his plan to use fellow college standout and good friend Jack Eichel in the recruiting process.

"I'd be a tool not to," Murray told reporters Tuesday.

Murray added he has no problem with Vesey's agent saying his client still intends to explore all options on the open market, adding he fully expected them to say exactly that.

Both Eichel and Vesey are represented by the same agent, and have been skating together in Massachusetts in the offseason.

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The Winnipeg Jets have signed goalie Michael Hutchinson to a two-year contract worth $2.3 million.

The 26-year-old, who was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, will carry an average annual valuation of $1.15 million through 2017-18.

Winnipeg also has goalies Ondrej Pavelec ($3.9 million) and Connor Hellebuyck ($667,500) under contract for next season, according to General Fanager.

Selected in the third round (77th overall) at the 2008 NHL Draft, Hutchinson has appeared in 71 games with the Jets, posting a 32-36-8 record with a .912 save percentage.

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Ahead of the NHL draft and free agency - which opens July 1 - we're looking at three teams from each division facing integral summers. Next up, the Western Conference's Central Division.

Dallas Stars
(109 points)

Needs: Assess goaltending, shore up defensive situation

Dallas scored more goals than any team in the NHL, averaging 3.23 tallies per game, but inconsistent goaltending did the Central Division champions in.

The tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi was solid, but neither could prove to be a difference maker for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Both goalies have been reliable starters in their careers, but the Stars don't need the combination. Perhaps general manager Jim Nill can eye a trade, or even buy one out.

The Stars also have problems on their blue line. Kris Russell, Jason Demers, and Jordie Benn are all unrestricted free agents, and the experience level of the rest of the D-corps is less than comforting.

Depth defenseman are much easier to find than starting goalies, but either way, Nill will have to pull some strings to take the Stars to the next level.

St. Louis Blues
(107 points)

Needs: Find reasonable contracts for pending free agents

St. Louis shed its reputation as playoff failures by advancing to the Western Conference Final, but the Blues' habit of sitting back defensively ultimately was the difference against the speedy San Jose Sharks.

On top of a few adjustments to their style of play - which should come under new assistant coach Mike Yeo - the Blues need to address the expiring contracts of some key offensive pieces.

With Backes likely to hit the market, retaining Brouwer will be key for general manager Doug Armstrong. Schwartz - who's vital to the club's success - is qualified for a raise, and a bridge deal would make sense for the 23-year-old, who was limited to only 33 games last season. Brodziak, meanwhile, is a reliable centerman that should come at an affordable price.

Time will tell whether Armstrong will be able to keep everybody, but it's imperative he does his best to do so.

Colorado Avalanche
(82 points)

Needs: Add defenseman, fill out forwards

Colorado struggled to score last season, but had even greater problems keeping the puck out of their net.

The Avalanche scored 2.57 goals per game (21st) and allowed 2.93 (24th). Add those totals to a miserable corsi for percentage of 44.20 (corsica.hockey) and it's no wonder Patrick Roy's club struggled.

Up front, the Avalanche have several game-breaking talents, but apart from a new contract for Nathan MacKinnon, their depth needs to be addressed.

Mikkel Bodeker, Shawn Matthias, and Mikhail Grigorenko need contracts, and should all be looked at by general manager Joe Sakic.

Colorado has three reliable defenseman in Tyson Barrie, Erik Johnson, and Francois Beauchemin, but the bottom three could use some tweaking. Nikita Zadorov is promising, but still developing. Luring a dependable rearguard to Mile High City should be a priority for Sakic.

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If the Calgary Flames want to land the best available goalie, it's going to cost them.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is reportedly asking for Calgary's first-round pick - sixth overall - in a trade for Marc-Andre Fleury, according to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun.

A first-round pick was used Monday in a trade for a goalie, as the Toronto Maple Leafs sent one that originally belonged to Pittsburgh to Anaheim in exchange for Frederik Andersen.

That pick, however, comes in at 30th overall, and landed Toronto a player who is five years younger and a bit cheaper than Fleury, even after a reported five-year, $25-million contract extension signed by Andersen immediately after the trade.

Fleury, 31, is coming off two of the best statistical regular seasons of his career, with 69 wins and a .921 save percentage in 122 appearances. he remains under contract for three more seasons at a cap hit of $5.75 million, according to General Fanager.

The veteran goaltender watched as Matt Murray led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup win, allowing for a possible trade.

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The Maple Leafs needed a goalie. The Anaheim Ducks had two capable ones, one of them without a contract. Say hello to Frederik Andersen, Toronto, your new No. 1 'tender.

After trading a first-round pick in 2016 acquired from the Penguins in the trade for Stanley Cup-winner Phil Kessel, as well as a second-round pick of their own in 2017, the Maple Leafs locked restricted free agent Andersen up for five seasons at $5 million per. And make no mistake, that's a lot of dough for a goalie who will be 27 when the 2016-17 season begins, and who's only made 114 career starts.

But it had to be done. Jonathan Bernier wasn't - isn't - the answer. And so ends that experiment, while a new one begins.

An inexact science

Goalies are weird. Finding a good one is hard. Drafting an elite one even harder. Toronto, where goalies go to die, knows that best.

The Maple Leafs took a chance on Southern California-based Bernier when he had 54 starts and a .912 save percentage to his name. In other words, if you're worried about Andersen's body of work, Bernier's CV should have kept you awake at night.

Andersen, another goalie who was living the SoCal dream, arrives in the north having made 125 starts - all with the Ducks over the past three seasons, when they averaged 109 points - and with a .918 save percentage. When he was between the pipes, the Ducks rarely lost - Andersen leaves Anaheim with a 77-26-12 record. He's in for a reality check in Toronto, no doubt.

Three-year sample

Here's what Bernier and Andersen have done over the past three years:

Career Totals

The Maple Leafs immediately signed Bernier to a two-year, $5.8-million extension after trading for him from the Los Angeles Kings. He had a strong first season in the blue and white, as he clearly enjoyed the opportunity to play on a regular basis. His second season didn't go as smoothly, but Randy Carlyle's final months in Toronto were a trainwreck. No goalie would have survived.

In fact, Bernier and Andersen's 2014-15 statistics tell a story - one of an elite team and one of a horrific team. Bernier made two more starts than Andersen that season and saw 299 more pucks. He averaged 31.5 shots against per start in '14-15, while Andersen averaged 27.1. And you better believe the chances the Maple Leafs were giving up were of much higher quality than the Ducks'. That Bernier finished with a .912 save percentage to Andersen's .914 is, in a way, impressive.

All that work seemingly ruined Bernier. After cashing in on a two-year, $8.3-million extension, Bernier had the worst season of his career in 2015-16. However, you can see in the shot totals that Mike Babcock's Maple Leafs tightened things up. Bernier saw an average of 30.9 shots this past season, while Andersen, on a far-superior Ducks team, faced 29.3 per night. Anyone who watched any Maple Leafs hockey last season can attest to the fact the team gave up far fewer 10-bell chances in their own zone. After Carlyle, it was almost beautiful to watch: a system in place, Toronto with the puck.

Long story short: who knows which goalie's better. All we know is that Toronto officially gave up on Bernier on Monday, while handing the reins to Andersen. Anyone who tells you that's good or bad, one way or the other, actually has no idea. Time will tell. Andersen's deal could blow up in Toronto's face. It could work out. Let's talk in three years. Until then, enjoy the roll of the dice.

When does the window open?

The Maple Leafs bottomed out last season. The kids came up, Auston Matthews is next, Morgan Rielly and Nazem Kadri are signed long term, and though Steven Stamkos is not a Maple Leaf currently, to many Toronto supporters, he already is.

General manager Lou Lamoriello came to Toronto from a New Jersey Devils team that employed Martin Brodeur and Cory Schneider. One tire fire of a season was enough for him to fold on Bernier. More importantly, Lamoriello has been impressed by what Andersen has done in the playoffs, where he has a .916 save percentage in 28 starts.

When Lamoriello traded for Schneider, he had been splitting the crease with Roberto Luongo and had never made more than 30 starts in a season. That trade worked out well.

Lamoriello knows that it all starts from the crease. He saw what Babcock was able to get out of a rag-tag roster - the Maple Leafs, for the first time in years, played competitive hockey. And they still finished last. It worked perfectly.

The plan remains in place, and now it includes a goalie. Another goalie. And it's almost as simple as standing Bernier and Andersen next to one another. Bernier's 6-foot and 184 pounds. Andersen's 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Lamoriello can say Andersen's more "athletic" until he's blue in the face - he's going with the goalie who can cover more of the net.

Sure. Why not.

Good ifs

If William Nylander's ready, if Matthews is the one, if Stamkos is the next Maple Leafs captain, and if Andersen's the answer in the crease, perhaps Toronto can compete a lot quicker than initially anticipated.

While there are questions to the Andersen trade, Toronto dealt from a position of strength - surplus draft picks (which, in and of itself, is a miracle with respect to this franchise). It's crazy to think, but it's almost as if the Maple Leafs' new regime has already earned the benefit of the doubt.

Long live the Shanaplan.

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The Florida Panthers draft plan is coming together.

A year after picking just outside of the top-10, the Panthers will occupy the 23rd overall selection this year and with it, the team knows one thing for sure: They will not select a goaltender, general manager Tom Rowe said Monday, according to Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel.

On top of that, Rowe will also enter the draft looking to select the best player available, whether that be a forward or a defenseman.

The club will take to the draft stage five times over the course of Friday and Saturday, with one selection in each of the first two rounds, two in the fourth, and one in the sixth.

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Kevin Shattenkirk's name is once again being floated around in trade talks.

Related: Report: Teams calling Blues about potential trade for Elliott

The St. Louis Blues have received calls about the 27-year-old defenseman from the Edmonton Oilers and the Boston Bruins, ESPN's Pierre LeBrun told TSN 1040 on Monday.

Shattenkirk has led all Blues defensemen in goals every year since the 2012-13 campaign, and while his offensive numbers have been welcome, the rise of Colton Parayko coupled with Shattenkirk's impending unrestricted free agency next summer make him a viable trade chip.

Meanwhile the Oilers are in dire need of help on their back end, and the Bruins would certainly like to add a proven offensive right-hander to their defensive core.

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