Minnesota Wild's 2012-13 schedule

Proving it's business as usual in the NHL despite the fact the league has moved to terminate the collective bargaining agreement and negotiate another, the league's 30 teams released their schedules this morning.

This, of course, is barring a lockout. The current CBA expires Sept. 15 and Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas that negotiations should begin soon.

The Wild's regular-season schedule is below (home team second), and if you missed it Monday, here is the preseason schedule.

SCHEDULE FOR Minnesota
Sat. 10/13/2012 Colorado Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 10/16/2012 Columbus Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 10/18/2012 Minnesota Dallas 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 10/20/2012 Minnesota St. Louis 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 10/23/2012 Montreal Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 10/26/2012 Minnesota Columbus 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 10/27/2012 Florida Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Mon. 10/29/2012 Washington Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 11/1/2012 Los Angeles Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 11/3/2012 Minnesota Tampa Bay 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 11/6/2012 Minnesota Boston 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 11/8/2012 Minnesota N.Y. Rangers 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 11/10/2012 Minnesota Detroit 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sun. 11/11/2012 Minnesota New Jersey 5:00 PM 5:00 PM
Tue. 11/13/2012 Minnesota Philadelphia 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 11/15/2012 St. Louis Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 11/17/2012 Detroit Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Mon. 11/19/2012 Minnesota Vancouver 10:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 11/20/2012 Minnesota Calgary 9:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 11/23/2012 Toronto Minnesota 6:00 PM 5:00 PM
Mon. 11/26/2012 Minnesota Pittsburgh 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 11/28/2012 Chicago Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 11/30/2012 Minnesota Colorado 9:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 12/1/2012 Minnesota Nashville 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 12/5/2012 Minnesota Phoenix 9:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sat. 12/8/2012 Minnesota Los Angeles 10:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sun. 12/9/2012 Minnesota Anaheim 8:00 PM 5:00 PM
Wed. 12/12/2012 Minnesota St. Louis 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 12/14/2012 Edmonton Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 12/15/2012 N.Y. Islanders Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 12/18/2012 Chicago Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 12/20/2012 Vancouver Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 12/22/2012 Colorado Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 12/26/2012 Dallas Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 12/28/2012 Buffalo Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 12/29/2012 Minnesota Dallas 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Mon. 12/31/2012 Edmonton Minnesota 6:00 PM 5:00 PM
Wed. 1/2/2013 Minnesota Winnipeg 7:30 PM 6:30 PM
Thu. 1/3/2013 Calgary Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 1/5/2013 Nashville Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 1/9/2013 Minnesota Anaheim 10:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 1/10/2013 Minnesota Los Angeles 10:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sat. 1/12/2013 Minnesota San Jose 10:30 PM 7:30 PM
Tue. 1/15/2013 Anaheim Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 1/17/2013 San Jose Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 1/19/2013 Pittsburgh Minnesota 9:00 PM 8:00 PM
Tue. 1/22/2013 Los Angeles Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 1/29/2013 Philadelphia Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 2/1/2013 Minnesota Carolina 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 2/2/2013 Minnesota Columbus 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 2/5/2013 Minnesota N.Y. Islanders 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 2/7/2013 Vancouver Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 2/9/2013 Colorado Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Mon. 2/11/2013 Minnesota Vancouver 10:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 2/13/2013 Minnesota Calgary 9:30 PM 7:30 PM
Thu. 2/14/2013 Minnesota Edmonton 9:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sun. 2/17/2013 Detroit Minnesota 7:30 PM 6:30 PM
Tue. 2/19/2013 Nashville Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 2/21/2013 Minnesota Edmonton 9:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sat. 2/23/2013 Minnesota Calgary 10:00 PM 8:00 PM
Tue. 2/26/2013 Calgary Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Fri. 3/1/2013 Minnesota Chicago 8:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sun. 3/3/2013 Ottawa Minnesota 6:00 PM 5:00 PM
Tue. 3/5/2013 Edmonton Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 3/9/2013 Minnesota Nashville 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sun. 3/10/2013 Vancouver Minnesota 6:00 PM 5:00 PM
Tue. 3/12/2013 Phoenix Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Thu. 3/14/2013 Anaheim Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 3/16/2013 Minnesota Colorado 3:00 PM 1:00 PM
Mon. 3/18/2013 Minnesota Vancouver 10:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tue. 3/19/2013 Minnesota Edmonton 9:30 PM 7:30 PM
Sat. 3/23/2013 San Jose Minnesota 2:00 PM 1:00 PM
Tue. 3/26/2013 Calgary Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Wed. 3/27/2013 Phoenix Minnesota 9:00 PM 8:00 PM
Sat. 3/30/2013 St. Louis Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Mon. 4/1/2013 Minnesota Chicago 8:30 PM 7:30 PM
Wed. 4/3/2013 Minnesota San Jose 10:30 PM 7:30 PM
Fri. 4/5/2013 Minnesota Colorado 9:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 4/6/2013 Minnesota Phoenix 9:00 PM 6:00 PM
Tue. 4/9/2013 Minnesota Detroit 7:30 PM 7:30 PM
Thu. 4/11/2013 Dallas Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM
Sat. 4/13/2013 Columbus Minnesota 8:00 PM 7:00 PM

FROM THE WILD PRESS RELEASE:

Minnesota will play each member of the Northwest Division (Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton and Vancouver) six times (three times at home, three times on road) for a total of 24 games. In addition, the club will play the remaining members of the Western Conference's Pacific Division (Anaheim, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Jose) and Central Division (Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis) four times each (twice at home and twice on the road) for a total of 40 games.

The Wild will play 18 games against the Eastern Conference this season, playing eight games against the Atlantic Division, five against the Northeast Division and five versus the Southeast Division. Minnesota will play a home and home series against Pittsburgh (home game Jan. 19), Philadelphia (home game Jan. 29) and the New York Islanders (home game Dec. 15). The Wild will also visit Boston, Carolina, defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey, the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg, while hosting Buffalo (Dec. 28), Florida (Oct. 27), Montreal (Oct. 23), Ottawa (March 3), Toronto (Nov. 23) and Washington (Oct. 29).

Minnesota's home schedule features traditional holiday games such as the Friday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 23) at 5:00 p.m. against Toronto; the day after Christmas (Dec. 26), a 7:00 p.m. start versus Dallas; as well as the New Year's Eve game, a 5:00 p.m. contest versus Edmonton.

The Wild will have a franchise record-tying, seven-game homestand – Dec. 14–28 against Edmonton, N.Y. Islanders, Chicago, Vancouver, Colorado, Dallas and Buffalo. The Wild will play nine home games in March – matching the most in franchise history. The club has a pair of six-game road trips, including an early November jaunt to Tampa Bay, Boston, the New York Rangers, Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The Wild plays 18 of its first 28 games on the road. Minnesota plays 14 back-to-backs in 2012-13, up from 11 last season.

2012-13 MINNESOTA WILD SCHEDULE NOTES

Home Games by Day: Mon. – 2, Tue. – 11, Wed. – 3, Thu. – 8, Fri. – 3, Sat. – 11, Sun. – 3
Road Games by Day: Mon. – 5, Tue. – 6, Wed. – 6, Thu. – 5, Fri. – 5, Sat. – 12, Sun. – 2

Home Games by Month: Oct. – 5, Nov. – 5, Dec. – 8, Jan. – 7, Feb. – 5, March – 9, April – 2
Road Games by Month: Oct. – 3, Nov. – 10, Dec. – 6, Jan. – 4, Feb. – 8, March – 5, April – 5

Opponents Visits To Minnesota (41): Anaheim-2, Boston-0, Buffalo-1, Calgary-3, Carolina-0, Chicago-2, Colorado-3, Columbus-2, Dallas-2, Detroit-2, Edmonton-3, Florida-1, Los Angeles-2, Montreal-1, Nashville-2, New Jersey-0, New York Islanders-1, New York Rangers-0, Ottawa-1, Philadelphia-1, Phoenix-2, Pittsburgh-1, St. Louis-2, San Jose-2, Tampa Bay-0, Toronto-1, Vancouver-3, Washington-1, Winnipeg-0

Wild Visits To Road Cities (41): Anaheim-2, Boston-1, Buffalo-0, Calgary-3, Carolina-1, Chicago-2, Colorado-3, Columbus-2, Dallas-2, Detroit-2, Edmonton-3, Florida-0, Los Angeles-2, Montreal-0, Nashville-2, New Jersey-1, New York Islanders-1, New York Rangers-1, Ottawa-0, Philadelphia-1, Phoenix-2, Pittsburgh-1, St. Louis-2, San Jose-2, Tampa Bay-1, Toronto-0, Vancouver-3, Washington-0, Winnipeg-1

After The All-Star Game – Minnesota will have 35 games remaining on its schedule, including 17 home games and 18 road contests. A total of 31 of those contests will be against Western Conference opponents.

Longest Homestand: 7 games:
Dec. 14 – 28 – Edmonton, N.Y. Islanders, Chicago, Vancouver, Colorado, Dallas, Buffalo

Longest Road Trip: 6 games (2 times):
Nov. 3 – Nov. 13 – Tampa Bay, Boston, N.Y. Rangers, Detroit, New Jersey, Philadelphia
Nov. 30 – Dec. 12 – Colorado, Nashville, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Anaheim, St. Louis