Red Wings’ 2011-12 Schedule Released

The Red Wings (along with the rest of the NHL) released their regular season schedule for the 2011-12 season on Thursday.

The Wings open their season at home against the Ottawa Senators, led by former Detroit assistant coach Paul MacLean.

Detroit’s schedule includes a pair of six-game homestands (one in November, the other in February) balancing out four road trips of four games or more. Across late December and early January, they’ll be on the road for nine of eleven games.

There are two home-and-home series on the schedule, against the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings play on back to back nights 13 times this season. For the first time in recent history, one of those pairs of games is entirely in Detroit.

The annual New Years Eve game will see the Red Wings host the St. Louis Blues.

Other notable games include the only meeting between the Wings and the newly-relocated Winnipeg team in Detroit on December 10 and the season finale against the Chicago Blackhawks on April 7.