MiHockey’s ‘Games to Watch’ list for the 2016-17 season

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By @StefanKubus –

With the eventful summer it’s been, for better or worse, it’s almost hard to believe that hockey season is nearly upon us. The MiHockey staff has been planning out its coverage for the upcoming campaign, so we want to share some of the dates we have circled on our calendars.

Here is a look at some of the significant games Michigan’s pro, NCAA, OHL and USHL teams will be playing in over the upcoming hockey season. As you will see from a quick scroll, there are way too many to list, but we’re giving it a try.

Did we miss one that you have circled on your own hockey calendar? Tweet us or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Note: Home team listed first unless otherwise noted.

SEPTEMBER

Friday, Sept. 2
Flint vs. Windsor (Flint’s preseason opener)

Saturday, Sept. 3
Saginaw vs. Sault Ste. Marie (SAG’s preseason home opener)

Friday, Sept. 9
USA Hockey’s NTDP U17 vs. Muskegon (U17’s season/home opener)
Flint vs. Saginaw (preseason)

Saturday, Sept. 10
Muskegon vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U17 (Muskegon’s preseason home opener)
Saginaw vs. Flint (preseason)

Wednesday, Sept. 21
Flint vs. Saginaw (SAG’s season opener)

Friday, Sept. 23
Muskegon @ USA Hockey’s NTDP U17 (Muskegon’s season opener)

Saturday, Sept. 24
USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 vs. Youngstown (U18’s home opener)
Saginaw vs. Guelph (SAG’s home opener)

Tuesday, Sept. 27
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh (Wings’ preseason opener against the defending Cup champs)

OCTOBER

Saturday, Oct. 1
Muskegon vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 (Muskegon’s home opener)

Sunday, Oct. 2
Michigan State vs. Toronto (MSU’s exhibition opener)Michigan vs. Windsor (UM’s exhibition opener)

Tuesday, Oct. 4
Kraft Hockeyville NHL game at Lakeview Arena in Marquette (Hurricanes vs. Sabres)

Thursday, Oct. 6
Ferris State vs. Western Michigan (WMU’s season opener)

Friday, Oct. 7
Michigan vs. Union College (UM’s season opener)
Michigan Tech @ Minnesota State (MTU’s first conference game)
Western Michigan vs. Ferris State (WMU’s home opener)
Toledo vs. Kalamazoo (K-Zoo’s ECHL preseason opener)

Saturday, Oct. 8
Detroit vs. Toronto (DET’s preseason finale)
Kalamazoo vs. Toledo (K-Zoo’s home preseason opener)

Thursday, Oct. 13
Detroit @ Tampa Bay (DET’s season opener)

Friday, Oct. 14
Grand Rapids vs. Chicago (Griffins’ AHL season/home opener)
Lake Superior State vs. Michigan State (LSSU’s and MSU’s season opener; Great Lake State Weekend)
Michigan Tech vs. Alabama-Huntsville (MTU’s home opener)
Kalamazoo @ Norfolk (K-Zoo’s season opener)

Saturday, Oct. 15
Ferris State vs. Michigan
Lake Superior State vs. Michigan State (Great Lake State Weekend)

Monday, Oct. 17
Detroit vs. Ottawa (DET’s home opener)

Friday, Oct. 21
Michigan vs. Michigan Tech
Michigan State vs. Denver (MSU’s home opener)
Ferris State vs. Northern Michigan
Kalamazoo vs. Fort Wayne (K-Zoo’s home opener)

Saturday, Oct. 22
Michigan vs. Michigan Tech
Ferris State vs. Northern Michigan

Friday, Oct. 28
Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan

Saturday, Oct. 29
USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 vs. Princeton University
Northern Michigan vs. Michigan Tech
Red Wings vs. Bruins (Torey Krug’s first trip back to Detroit in 2016-17)

Sunday, Oct. 30
U18 Five Nations Tournament begins in Plymouth

NOVEMBER

Friday, Nov. 4
Michigan State vs. Michigan Tech
Red Wings vs. Jets (Jacob Trouba, Andrew Copp and potentially other Michigan natives come back home)

Saturday, Nov. 5
Michigan State vs. Michigan Tech

Sunday, Nov. 6
Red Wings vs. Oilers (Hockeytown’s chance to see Connor McDavid in action)

Wednesday, Nov. 9
Kalamazoo vs. Toledo

Thursday, Nov. 10
Michigan State vs. Ferris State

Friday, Nov. 11
Michigan Tech vs. Lake Superior State

Saturday, Nov. 12
Ferris State vs. Michigan State
Michigan Tech vs. Lake Superior State

Friday, Nov. 18
Michigan vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U18
Ferris State vs. Lake Superior State
Kalamazoo @ Toledo

Saturday, Nov. 19
Ferris State vs. Lake Superior State
Adrian College vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U18
Kalamazoo @ Toledo

Wednesday, Nov. 23
Flint vs. Saginaw

Friday, Nov. 25
Michigan vs. Lake Superior State

Saturday, Nov. 26
Michigan vs. Lake Superior State
Red Wings vs. Canadiens

DECEMBER

Sunday, Dec. 4
Michigan State vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U18

Friday, Dec. 9
USA Hockey’s NTDP U17 vs. Muskegon
Michigan vs. Wisconsin (UM’s first conference home game)
Michigan State vs. Minnesota (MSU’s first conference home game)
Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets (Zach Werenski’s first NHL game at The Joe perhaps?)

Sunday, Dec. 11
Five Nations Tournament begins for USA Hockey’s NTDP U17s

Wednesday, Dec. 14
Saginaw vs. Flint

Friday, Dec. 23
Kalamazoo @ Toledo

Wednesday, Dec. 28
Kalamazoo vs. Toledo

Thursday, Dec. 29
52nd Great Lakes Invitational begins at Joe Louis Arena (UM, MSU, MTU, WMU)

Friday, Dec. 30
Muskegon vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U17
Flint vs. Saginaw

Saturday, Dec. 31
Grand Rapids vs. Rockford (Griffins’ 20th annual New Year’s Eve celebration)

JANUARY

Sunday, Jan. 1
Detroit @ Toronto (NHL Centennial Classic @ BMO Field; Toronto, ON)

Friday, Jan. 6
Lake Superior State vs. Northern Michigan

Saturday, Jan. 7
Northern Michigan vs. Lake Superior State

Tuesday, Jan. 10
Saginaw vs. Flint

Friday, Jan. 13
Northern Michigan vs. Lake Superior State

Saturday, Jan. 14
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh (DET hosts the defending Cup champs after seven-game road trip)
Lake Superior State vs. Northern Michigan

Friday, Jan. 20
Michigan vs. Michigan State

Saturday, Jan. 21
Michigan State vs. Michigan

Wednesday, Jan. 25
Detroit vs. Toronto (Auston Matthews and the Leafs’ first visit to JLA)

FEBRUARY

Saturday, Feb. 4
Kalamazoo @ Toledo

Friday, Feb. 10
Michigan State vs. Michigan (at Joe Louis Arena)
Michigan Tech vs. Ferris State (MTU Winter Carnival)

Saturday, Feb. 11
Michigan vs. Michigan State
Michigan Tech vs. Ferris State (MTU Winter Carnival)

Friday, Feb. 17
Saginaw vs. Flint

Saturday, Feb. 18
Red Wings vs. Capitals (Ovechkin’s only visit to The Joe)

Friday, Feb. 24
USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 vs. Arizona State
Northern Michigan vs. Michigan Tech (NMU’s home finale)
Lake Superior State vs. Ferris State

Saturday, Feb. 25
USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 vs. Arizona State
Michigan State vs. Penn State (MSU’s home finale)
Michigan Tech vs. Northern Michigan (MTU’s and NMU’s season finale)
Lake Superior State vs. Ferris State (LSSU’s season finale)

Sunday, Feb. 26
Saginaw vs. Flint

MARCH

Friday, March 3
WCHA Playoffs begin (MTU, NMU, FSU, LSSU)

Saturday, March 4
Western Michigan vs. Minnesota-Duluth (WMU’s home and season finale)
Kalamazoo @ Toledo

Wednesday, March 8
Flint vs. Saginaw

Friday, March 10
NCHC Playoffs begin (WMU)
Kalamazoo vs. Toledo

Saturday, March 11
Michigan State @ Minnesota (MSU season finale)
Kalamazoo vs. Toledo

Thursday, March 16
Big Ten Tournament begins (at Joe Louis Arena)

Saturday, March 18
Red Wings vs. Avalanche (last Wings vs. Avs game at The Joe)

Friday, March 24
USA Hockey’s NTDP U17 vs. Bloomington (home finale)

APRIL

Saturday, Apr. 1
Muskegon vs. USA Hockey’s NTDP U18 (Lumberjacks’ home regular season finale)
The IIHF Women’s World Championships are tentatively slated to begin in Plymouth

Saturday, Apr. 8
Kalamazoo vs. Wheeling (K-Zoo’s home/season finale)

Sunday, Apr. 9
Detroit vs. New Jersey (final regular-season game ever at Joe Louis Arena)
IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship begins for the U18s

Friday, Apr. 14
Grand Rapids vs. Charlotte (home finale)

Saturday, Apr. 15
Grand Rapids @ Milwaukee (season finale)