AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 27
Monday, August 27, 2007
Important NHL dates - all in one place
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Go ahead and bookmark this blog entry. There won’t be any good trade rumors or contract negotiation updates, but this blog will serve as a utility. We’re close to heating up here, and I wanted to provide the Thrashers fans with a list of important dates and times. Okay, maybe I’m doing it mostly for my own benefit.
But before I get into that, let me answer the questions about our Thrashers fan blog since The Iceman hasn’t updated his blog since the playoffs. There’s a good reason for that - Mr. Vecsey, aka The Iceman, is headed to the New York Times. And you thought Gomez and Drury were New York’s biggest additions. That’s a big loss for the AJC especially since he saved my rear more than once while editing my stories. I also enjoyed his take on the Thrashers and hockey, so he’ll be missed. Are we replacing him with another blogger? That I don’t know, but I’ll keep you posted as I hear anything.
Alright, here are some important upcoming dates:
Friday, Sept. 7 - Thrashers prospects start playing in the Traverse City prospects tournament. I’ll be taking a good look at Tobias Enstrom and Bryan Little and probably writing about both of them for the paper. The Thrashers play Detroit at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 - Thrashers prospects play New York prospects at 3:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 10 - Thrashers prospects vs. Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11 - Prospect Tournament Championship game, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 13 - Players officially report for physicals. This is a closed session.
Friday, Sept. 14 - The first day of training camp. GM Don Waddell and Bob Hartley will address the media in a formal press conference. This is the date the team will most likely unveil the new Reebok uniforms.
Saturday, Sept. 15 - The Thrashers will put individual regular season game and exhibition tickets on sale to the public.
Sunday, Sept. 16 - Thrashers travel to St. Louis for their first exhibition game. This is when I’ll produce my first “Keith Tkachuk talks about his time with the Thrashers” story.
Saturday, Sept. 22 - The Thrashers preseason home opener against St. Louis. This is when I’ll produce my second “Keith Tkachuk talks about his time with the Thrashers” story.
Oct. 5th - Thrashers season opener and home opener. And yes, this is when they will raise the Southeast Division banner to the Philips Arena rafters.
And while we’re at it, here’s the official list of important dates from the NHL.
2007-08 CRITICAL DATES CALENDAR
September
13 Opening Day of NHL training camp
13 Pre-season schedule begins
17 Kraft Hockeyville Game, North Bay, ON (New York Islanders @ Atlanta Thrashers)
29-30 Premiere 2007, London, England (Anaheim Ducks & Los Angeles Kings)
October
3 90th Anniversary Regular Season begins (North American Games)
November
7 Lester Patrick Award luncheon (New York)
10 Hockey Hall of Fame Game (New York Rangers @ Toronto Maple Leafs)
12 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Toronto)
Inductees: Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier, Scott Stevens (Player
category), Jim Gregory (Builder category)
December
1 Signing Deadline for Group 2 Free Agents
19-27 Holiday Roster Freeze in effect. For all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or players with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of midnight, local time, December 19, a roster freeze shall apply through midnight local time December 27, with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.10.
26-Jan.5 IIHF World U20 Championship (Pardubice & Liberec, Czech Republic)
January
20 NHL on NBC (regional coverage begins)
23 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Edmonton)
25-28 All-Star Break (no games played)
26 NHL Super Skills Competition (Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA)
27 NHL All-Star Game (Philips Arena)
February
9 CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada
15-17 Hockey Weekend Across America
26 Trade deadline 3 p.m., ET
29 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) 100th Anniversary Celebration
April
6 Last day of 2007-08 regular season
9 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin
10-12 NCAA Frozen Four (Pepsi Center, Denver, CO)
13-23 IIHF U18 World Championship (Kazan, Russia)
May
2-18 IIHF World Championship (Quebec City, QC & Halifax, NS, Canada)
TBA NHL Combine (Toronto)
June
9 Last possible day for 2008 Stanley Cup Final
12 NHL Awards Show (Toronto)
15 Deadline for First Club-Elected Salary Arbitration
19 NHL Entry Draft Top Prospects preview / Clinic (Ottawa, ON)
20 NHL Entry Draft (Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON) - First round
21 NHL Entry Draft (Scotiabank Place) - Rounds 2-7
July
1 Free Agency period begins
5 Deadline for player-elected salary arbitration
6 Deadline for club-elected salary arbitration
10 Deadline for eligible players to elect Group 5 free agency
20-Aug. 4 Salary arbitration hearings held
August
6 Deadline for salary arbitration decisions to be rendered
