The Toronto Maple Leafs will open their 2010-11 NHL season against their old foes from Montreal on Thursday, Oct. 7.
When the regular season ends 81 games later on April 9, the Leafs will also host the Canadiens.
For those looking to see the Buds in action against the Chicago Blackhawks, the league's 2009-10 Stanley Cup champion, the lone meeting will take place on March 5.
The really optimistic members of Leaf Nation should be aware that the playoffs will start on April 13, with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals set for June 17 -- if it goes that far.
The Leafs last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1967, now the longest drought in the league since Chicago won this spring. The Leafs last competed in the post-season in 2003-04.
The Leafs finished last in the Eastern Conference, going 30-38-14 for a total of 74 points. The Edmonton Oilers -- coached by former Leafs coach Pat Quinn, the last bench boss to take the Leafs into the playoffs -- were the only team that was worse. The Oilers earned only 62 points.
That team announced Tuesday that Quinn would be stepping down from behind the bench and assuming an advisory role. Tom Renney is the Oilers' new head coach.
Club president and general manager Brian Burke has said he expects his Leafs can make the playoffs this season.
In a news release issued Tuesday, the club said its schedule will be very heavy on Saturday night games. It will play 14 home games and nine road ones on Saturdays.
It doesn't have any Friday night or Sunday afternoon games on this year's schedule.
Twenty-four Leafs games will be played against divisional rivals. Another 40 will be against on-divisional conference teams. They will play one game against each of the Western Conference's teams.
The team said the preseason schedule and its full broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.
