The NHL schedule is a grind that stretches over six months through the heart of the dark, cold winter. There are a few very distinct phases of the schedule that every fan partakes in and looks forward to. First, the opening phase, with all of the early season excitement exploding outward. Things slow in the dog days of winter, when the schedule seemingly never ends and games are wrapped around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Then comes the All-Star break and trade deadline, the most purely chaotic part of the season, as the playoff picture shapes up and the schedule careens into deadline day.
How the Sharks are shaping up for playoffs
