The Ducks open the 2024-25 season on the road against the San Jose Sharks.

On Tuesday morning, the Ducks released their 2024-25 season schedule. The home openers for each team were revealed on Monday, with the Ducks hosting the Utah Hockey Club for their first home game of the season. Here are five matchups to watch for the Ducks this season.

Home opener - Oct. 16

The home opener is always a special event, with pre-game festivities setting the tempo as the Ducks players are welcomed onto the Orange Carpet and greet the fans. The 2022-23 home opener finished with a flourish as Troy Terry won the game in overtime while the 2023-24 home opener was a resounding 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

This season’s home opener will be against the Utah Hockey Club, formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes prior to their relocation to Salt Lake City mere months ago. With a new owner and a new look, this matchup will be fascinating to watch as a new era embarks for Utah.

Black Friday game - Nov. 29

The annual Black Friday game has been a staple for the Ducks for more than a decade, although the opponent has varied over the past several seasons after the matchup had typically been the Chicago Blackhawks for many years.

Last season’s Black Friday game saw the Ducks face the Los Angeles Kings at home and that will be the matchup once again for this year’s Black Friday game.

The Freeway Faceoff hasn’t had quite the same allure in recent seasons, but last season’s matchups were a lot closer in result. The Ducks will be looking to even the score after falling 6-2 in last season’s Black Friday game.

First game in Utah - Dec. 22

As previously mentioned, this is the first season for the Utah Hockey Club. Same players and coaching staff (for the most part), but a new arena, new location and new digs.

Utah's residents have not had an NHL team to root for until now and it’s plausible that many opposing fans will make the trip out to check out Delta Center and all that it has to offer.

Cutter Gauthier’s first game in Philadelphia - Jan. 11

This could end up being the most emotionally charged game of the Ducks’ entire season. Philadelphia Flyers fans were not happy—and remain unhappy—about the way that Cutter Gauthier forced his way out of the organization and will surely be showing up en masse for his first game at Wells Fargo Center.

“I’ve got that date circled on my calendar,” said Gauthier shortly after he was traded to the Ducks. “I can’t wait to go out there and play my game in front of those fans and do my thing.”

Corey Perry’s last time in Honda Center? - Apr. 7

One of the Ducks’ final home games of the season is against the Edmonton Oilers, who are coming off an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. Perry, who just re-signed with the Oilers, may be making a trip to Honda Center for the final time in his NHL career. No one knows when he plans to retire just yet, but he’ll be 40 before the end of the 2024-25 season. It’s easy to imagine that he doesn’t have many more left ahead of him.

Oilers' Corey Perry Not Done Yet

The last remaining active Mighty Duck, Perry created a legacy during his time with the Ducks. One of his most memorable moments as Duck even came against the Oilers when he scored a double-overtime game-winning goal in the playoffs after the Ducks scored three goals in the final three minutes of the third period to tie the game. That game is now fondly known as the “Comeback on Katella”.

Perry has always been welcomed back with appreciation every time he’s returned to Anaheim as an opponent and things aren’t likely to change in what could be the final time he plays at Honda Center.