Sidney Crosby will have plenty of chances to do one of his favorite things, celebrate goals against the Flyers, in February
Working our way up to the shortest month, in terms of days and games, this exercise to talk about the Penguins’ 2024-25 schedule continues. Catch up with January and work your way back if you need to.
February will be the month on the calendar that a lot of players — and their families — will be looking forward to. After packing in a ton of games throughout the season, the NHL is taking almost two weeks off in February. Vacations to tropical settings will be on the menu for some R&R.
The Pens, like most the league, will play their last game before the break on Saturday Feb. 8th. The following day, the NFL has a little event called the Super Bowl. Hockey will attempt to step into the void left by football going away by starting up their 4 Nations Face-off on Wednesday Feb 12th. The event will conclude by 2/20 and then they’re right back at it for regular NHL action by 2/22.
Tough going for the top players, like Sidney Crosby (Canada) and Erik Karlsson (Sweden) who have already been named to their respective teams. The 4 Nations event is round robin followed by the two top teams playing one final game, leaving 3-4 games and no appreciable break for the best. The good news for the Pens (could you call it good?) is that no other players on their team are likely to be in the same boat, unless Tristan Jarry or Bryan Rust go on an absolute tear during the year.
Anyways, back to the schedule!
Number of games: 8
Home-Road: 5-3
Conference Breakdown: 7 games vs. East; 1 game vs. West
Games Against Metro Division: 7
Back-to-Backs: 2
Highlights: The wrestling announcer Jim Ross would say, “business is about to pick up” about this month. Three games against the Flyers! Two against the Rangers! One more against the Devils and Capitals. All of these games are going to mean a lot at this time of year and it’s one of the parts we wait all year to get to. This is the good stuff, pardon the huge pause in the middle of the month. By then weary players, fans and writers alike will surely be ready for a bit of a break. The NHL also wastes zero time when football ends to throw their marquee teams back into slots for weekend matinee nationally televised games. That scheduling hasn’t been announced but looks likely the Pens will be back on ABC/ESPN right away.