This Week in the NHL: Stanley Cup Final rematch

So many games. So little time. What should you focus your NHL hockey fandom on if your favorite team’s games don’t scratch the itch enough?

Welcome to This Week in the NHL. From now until April, we’ll lay out a collection of key games, events and deadlines to watch on the league calendar each week.

So what’s on tap for Dec. 18-24?

Dec. 20-27: NHL holiday roster freeze

Per the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, “for all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of 11:59 p.m. (local time) Dec. 19, a roster freeze shall apply through 12:01 a.m. (local time) Dec. 28, with respect to waivers, trades and loans,” subject to a few exceptions. Every player in the league can rest easy knowing he won’t get that fateful call from his GM while spending time with family.

Dec. 23: Stanley Cup Final rematch

Vegas Golden Knights @ Florida Panthers, 3:00 p.m. ET

Could this rematch…be a preview of a rematch? Last year, the Golden Knights mowed down the Panthers in five games to win the Stanley Cup. Both combatants are off to strong starts this season and seem poised to make deep playoff runs again. Vegas sits atop the Pacific Division, while the Panthers are very much in contention for top spot in the Atlantic Division. Saturday’s contest will put Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk back on the ice against Vegas’ Keegan Kolesar, the man who fractured Tkachuk’s sternum with a devastating hit during Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Dec. 24-26: NHL holiday break

No games will be played on these dates. The teams also won’t practice and their dressing rooms will be closed.

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