Red Wings unveil 2021 schedule, open at home Jan. 14 vs. Carolina

Ted Kulfan
The Detroit News

Detroit — If you’re a Red Wings fan, get ready to see a lot of the Chicago Blackhawks.

And Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Detroit Red Wings released their 2020-21 schedule on Wednesday.

And that’s it.

The Wings begin the season Jan. 14 at an empty Little Caesars Arena, hosting Carolina — and again two nights later at LCA — in a pandemic-shortened 56-game season that will see the Wings only play those seven other teams in the realigned Central Division.

The Wings face each opponent eight times — four at LCA and four on the road.

No fans will be allowed at LCA to begin the season.

The NHL and NHL Players Association agreed on the geography-based divisional realignments in an effort to eliminate lengthy travel and road trips during the ongoing pandemic.

A feature in this is the baseball-style two-game series.

The Wings will host Columbus on Jan. 18-19 to complete the season-opening four-game homestand.

The Wings will then travel to Chicago (Jan. 22-24) and Dallas (Jan. 26-28) — both former Central Division rivals of the Wings’ before the Wings were moved to the Eastern Conference.

The Wings end their home season with back-to-back games May 1-2 against defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay, before ending their season May 7-8 in Columbus.

The NHL built some open dates late in the schedule in case there is a need to reschedule games because of the pandemic.

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tkulfan

2021 Detroit Red Wings schedule

Thu. 1/14, vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m. 

Sat. 1/16, vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.  

Mon. 1/18, vs. Columbus, noon

Tue. 1/19, vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

Fri. 1/22, at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Sun. 1/24, at Chicago, 12:30 p.m.

Tue. 1/26, at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Thu. 1/28, at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Sat. 1/30, vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

Sun. 1/31, vs. Florida, 5 p.m.

Wed. 2/3, at Tampa Bay, 5:30 p.m.

Fri. 2/5, at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Sun. 2/7, at Florida, 3 p.m.

Tue. 2/9, at Florida, 7 p.m.

Thu. 2/11, at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Sat. 2/13, at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Mon. 2/15, vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Wed. 2/17, vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Fri. 2/19, vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m. 

Sun. 2/21, vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

Tue. 2/23, vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

Thu. 2/25, vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.  

Sat. 2/27, at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Sun. 2/28, at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Tue. 3/2, at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Thu. 3/4, at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Tue. 3/9, vs. Tampa Bay, 7;30 p.m. 

Thu. 3/11, vs. Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Sun. 3/14, vs. Carolina, 5 p.m.

Tue. 3/16, vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m.

Thu. 3/18, vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Sat. 3/20, vs. Dallas, 7 p.m. 

Tue. 3/23, at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Thu. 3/25, at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Sat. 3/27, vs. Columbus, 3 p.m.

Sun. 3/28, vs. Columbus, 3 p.m. 

Tue. 3/30, at Florida, 7 p.m.

Thu. 4/1, at Florida, 7 p.m.

Sat. 4/3, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Sun. 4/4, at Tampa Bay, noon

Tue. 4/6, vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

Thu. 4/8, vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m. 

Sat. 4/10, at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Mon. 4/12, at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Thu. 4/15, vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m. 

Sat. 4/17, vs. Chicago, 7 p.m. 

Mon. 4/19, at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Tue. 4/20, at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Thu. 4/22, vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Sat. 4/24, vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.

Tue. 4/27, at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Thu. 4/29, at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Sat. 5/1, vs. Tampa Bay, 3 p.m.

Sun. 5/2, vs. Tampa Bay, 3 p.m.

Fri. 5/7, at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Sat. 5/8, at Columbus, 7 p.m.