Ottawa Senators will host the Boston Bruins in their 2022-23 home opener Oct. 18

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MONTREAL — The Ottawa Senators will face a couple of familiar foes to start the NHL season.

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The league released the 2022-23 campaign Wednesday afternoon and the Senators will start the year with a two-game road trip before facing the Boston Bruins in the home opener at the Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Before returning home, the Senators will start the year against the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Arena on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.

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The game in Buffalo will be the first time former Senators goaltender Craig Anderson will face his former team since leaving two years ago. He spent one season in Washington and wasn’t healthy when Ottawa faced the Sabres last season.

Signed to a one-year deal by Buffalo, Anderson, who spent a decade in the club’s net, is scheduled to return to Ottawa on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. It would be great for the fans in the nation’s capital to give him a proper thank you.

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The club will play eight games in October and five of those are at the Canadian Tire Centre in the longest homestand of the season.

If you’re looking at the schedule, you’re going to see a 5 p.m. start time against the New York Islanders on Monday, Nov. 14. Yes, it’s highly unusual for the Senators to play a mid-week game that early, but the start time has been set for good reason.

That’s being done so that the game is over just in time for people to watch former captain Daniel Alfredsson get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Fans on hand at the rink will be able to stick around to watch the ceremony on the Bell HD Screen once the final buzzer has sounded. Not only is he the first player in the modern-day history of the franchise to have his No. 11 retired, the 49-year-old Alfredsson will be the first player to be identified with the organization to receive his entrance into the Hall.

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It will be a nice touch to celebrate Alfredsson’s career.

Teams didn’t get an Olympic break last season, but the club will have 10 days off after facing the Montreal Canadiens on the road Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Bell Centre. The Senators won’t play another game until they host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, Feb. 11 in a matinée.

That will be the only visit by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl during the season.

Times can change, but the Senators are only scheduled to play two afternoon games at home this season.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche will make their only visit March 16.

SENATORS 2022-23 SCHEDULE

Thursday, Oct. 13 at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 15 at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 18 vs. Boston, 7 p.m.

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Thursday, Oct. 20 vs. Washington, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 22 vs. Arizona, 4 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 24 vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 27 vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29 at Florida, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 1 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3 vs. Vegas, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 5 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 8 vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 10 at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 12 at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 14 vs. N.Y. Islanders, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 16 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19 vs. New Jersey, 1 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 21 at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 23 at Vegas, 10 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 25 at Anaheim, 3 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 27 at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 30 vs. N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

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Friday, Dec. 2 at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 3 vs. San Jose, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 6 vs. Los Angeles, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 8 at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10 at Nashville, 1:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 12 vs. Anaheim, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 14 vs. Montreal, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17 at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 18 at Minnesota, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 20 at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 22 vs. Washington, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 23 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 27 vs. Boston, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 29 at Washington, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 31 at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 1 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 3 vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 7 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 9 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 12 at Arizona, 10 p.m.

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Saturday, Jan. 14 at Colorado, 3 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 16 at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 18 vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 20 at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21 vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 25 vs. N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 27 at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 28 vs. Montreal, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 31 at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 11 vs. Edmonton, 12:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 13 vs. Calgary, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 14 at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 17 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19 vs. St. Louis, 2 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 20 at Boston, 1 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 24 at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 25 at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 28 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 2 at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

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Saturday, March 4 vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 6 at Chicago, 9 p.m.

Thursday, March 9 at Seattle, 10 p.m.

Saturday, March 11 at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Sunday, March 12 at Calgary, 9 p.m.

Tuesday, March 14 at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Thursday, March 16 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 18 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 20 at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 21 at Boston, 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 23 vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 25 at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 27 vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 1 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 2 at Columbus, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, April 4 at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 6 at Florida, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Monday, April 10 vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 13 at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

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