Despite being tied with the most games on back-to-back games, the Leafs have a relatively easy travel schedule.
Despite being tied with the most games on back-to-back games, the Leafs have a relatively easy travel schedule.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to embark on another regular season in October and every year the schedule comes out, there seems to be some gripe among fans.
This year it seems like much of that focus came on the fact that the Leafs are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the most instances of games on back-to-back nights with 16.
But according to Thomas Nestico of TJ Stats, the Leafs will have the 10th-easiest schedule in the NHL according to distance traveled at 37,700 miles.
The number or ranking doesn't come as a complete surprise as it's generally well known that the Eastern Conference teams in the NHL do not have to travel nearly as much. However when you look at the Leafs schedule compared to its nearby neighbors it points out quite the contract.
The closest rival, the Buffalo Sabres, have a worse distance travelled schedule, flying 4,700 miles more than the Leafs this season. However, two closer teams to Toronto, the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins have the two easiest at 32,800 miles and 31,700 miles, respectively.
It is impossible to make a symmetrical schedule around the NHL, especially when the Dallas Stars consistently have the most travel given that no other NHL team is close to it.
With less concentration on divisional games, every team is going to do a trek around the continent and this is as balanced as it is going to get.
Related
Calle Jarnkrok Follows Trend as Third Maple Leafs Forward to Soak Up the Italian Sun This Summer
News from THN.com
Oilers' Best Bet for Leon Draisaitl Might Be a Short-Term Extension
NHL Hot Seat Radar: Seattle Kraken Made Free-Agent Upgrades. Will Grubauer Shut the Door?