The Blackhawks and Oilers will each play an exhibition game against their biggest rival before playing each other in a best-of-five qualifier series.
Edmonton will face off against the Flames at 9:30 p.m. Central time Tuesday, July 28. Chicago will meet the Blues at 5:30 p.m. July 29. All Western Conference games will be at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
St. Louis, who swept the Blackhawks 4-0 in the regular season, is the top seed in the Western Conference and will play a three-game round robin against the other top three teams in the conference. Calgary, however, is the No. 8 seed and will play the No. 9 seed Jets in a qualifier series.
The Blackhawks and Oilers will start their series at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, then have Games 2 (Monday, Aug. 3) and 3 (Wednesday, Aug. 5) at 9:30 p.m. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, do not have start times as of now. Start times could be delayed from the game(s) before going more than one overtime.
As the lower seed, Chicago will be the road team for Games 1, 2 and 5, and the home team for Games 3 and 4.
The qualifier round will be broadcasted on local regional networks, but it’s unknown which games will also be broadcasted on national networks.
The qualifier series winners will advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the eight teams eliminated from the qualifiers will have an equal chance (12.5 percent) at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery on Aug. 10. The 2020 NHL Draft is set for Oct. 9-10.
Exhibition schedule
Tuesday, July 28
Penguins vs. Flyers, 3 p.m.
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Oilers vs. Flames, 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 29
Lightning vs. Panthers, 11 a.m.
Avalanche vs. Wild, 1:30 p.m.
Hurricanes vs. Capitals, 3 p.m.
Blues vs. Blackhawks, 5:30 p.m.
Islanders vs. Rangers, 7 p.m.
Canucks vs. Jets, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 30
Predators vs. Stars, 3 p.m.
Bruins vs. Blue Jackets, 6 p.m.
Golden Knights vs. Coyotes, 9 p.m.
(Home team listed second)
Qualifiers: Western Conference
(5) Oilers vs. (12) Blackhawks
Saturday, Aug. 1: Blackhawks vs. Oilers, 2 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Blackhawks vs. Oilers, 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Oilers vs. Blackhawks, 9:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Oilers vs. Blackhawks*
Saturday, Aug. 8: Blackhawks vs. Oilers*
(6) Predators vs. (11) Coyotes
Sunday, Aug. 2: Coyotes vs. Predators, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Coyotes vs. Predators, 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Predators vs. Coyotes, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Predators vs. Coyotes*
Sunday, Aug. 9: Coyotes vs. Predators*
(7) Canucks vs. (10) Wild
Sunday, Aug. 2: Wild vs. Canucks, 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Wild vs. Canucks, 9:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Canucks vs. Wild
Friday, Aug. 7: Canucks vs. Wild*
Sunday, Aug. 9: Wild vs. Canucks*
(8) Flames vs. (9) Jets
Saturday, Aug. 1: Jets vs. Flames, 9:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Jets vs. Flames, 1:30 p.m.
Tuedsay, Aug. 4: Flames vs. Jets, 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Flames vs. Jets*
Saturday, Aug. 8: Jets vs. Flames*
Round-robin
Sunday, Aug. 2: Blues vs. Avalanche, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Stars vs. Golden Knights, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Avalanche vs. Stars, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Golden Knights vs. Blues, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 8: Golden Knights vs. Avalanche, TBD
Sunday, Aug. 9: Stars vs. Blues, TBD
*If necessary
Qualifiers: Eastern Conference
(5) Penguins vs. (12) Canadiens
Saturday, Aug. 1: Canadiens vs. Penguins, 7 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Canadiens vs. Penguins, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Penguins vs. Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Penguins vs. Canadiens*
Saturday, Aug. 8: Canadiens vs. Penguins*
(6) Hurricanes vs. (11) Rangers
Saturday, Aug. 1: Rangers vs. Hurricanes, 11 a.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Rangers vs. Hurricanes, 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Hurricanes vs. Rangers, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Hurricanes vs. Rangers*
Saturday, Aug. 8: Rangers vs. Hurricanes*
(7) Islanders vs. (10) Panthers
Saturday, Aug. 1: Panthers vs. Islanders, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Panthers vs. Islanders, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Islanders vs. Panthers, 11 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Islanders vs. Panthers*
Sunday, Aug. 9: Panthers vs. Islanders*
(8) Maple Leafs vs. (9) Blue Jackets
Sunday, Aug. 2: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, 3 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets, TBD
Friday, Aug. 7: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets*
Sunday, Aug. 9: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs*
Round-robin
Sunday, Aug. 2: Flyers vs. Bruins, 2 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3: Capitals vs. Lightning, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Lightning vs. Bruins, 3 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Capitals vs. Flyers, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 8: Bruins vs. Capitals, TBD
Sunday, Aug. 9: Flyers vs. Lightning, TBD
*If necessary