It is always interesting to see a player signed or traded away come back for the first game against their former teams and most Hockey fans will pay attention on December 9th when the Flames visit the Blue Jackets in Ohio to see how Mr. Johnny Gaudreau does in his first game versus his former team.
For October there are five interesting first games versus former teams worth watching beginning on October 14th with probably the second most anticipated one to watch as Mr. Brent Burns goes back to San Jose as a ‘Cane.
Mr. Kevin Fiala has spent more NHL time in Nashville but has blossomed from a decent 20-goal scorer to his first 30-goal campaign for the Wild so a surprising signing with the Kings makes the October 15th matchup in Minnesota compelling.
A twin bill on October 21st highlighting Detroit and Chicago as Mr. Dominik Kubalik is signed away from deep-dive rebuilding Blackhawks and Seattle signed Cup champion Mr. Andre Burakovsky for the opening act in Colorado.
Carolina asked for and received multiple picks for Mr. Tony DeAngelo and a seventh-rounder marking the initial conflict between the newest Broad Street Bully against his former team in Philadelphia on October 29th for a divisional engagement.
Two games in November add to the Holiday atmosphere with both contests being played on November 19th first the Capitals sign Cup champion goaltender Mr. Darcy Kuemper and take on the Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche in Washington.
Secondly, Calgary led by Mr. Jonathan Huberdeau and Mr. MacKenzie Weegar battle their former team Florida while the Panthers have former Flames Mr. Matthew Tkachuk to complete the night’s action in the Sunshine State.
The last two games one on New Year’s Eve have Toronto and Colorado partying in Denver on December 31st as Cup champion Mr. Nicolas Aube-Kubel signs with the Leafs for one year and one million dollars.
The one game in 2023 on January 12th highlights the Winnipeg Jets coming into Buffalo to possibly face their former backup goaltender Mr. Eric Comrie.
Buffalo Winter 
The first Toronto and Edmonton matchup is of interest to me, to watch Jack Campbell in net. I don’t know the date.
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I had thought about that one…Toronto does not play Edmonton until March 1st
but I did not want to do a Maple Leafs player leaving and coming back as an opponent, where I was taking a player coming to Toronto to watch how they do against their former team
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