Is it hockey season yet?

No, not even close for another couple of months. But with the draft complete, free agency underway and NHL schedules released, there’s so much to look forward to when the puck drops on the 2024-25 season.

There’s even more anticipation for some of the biggest games on the Detroit Red Wings’ calendar, including these five matchups. From reunions with old Detroit teammates to homecomings for recent free agent adds and beyond, here are five must-watch games this season.

Wednesday, November 6 at Chicago Blackhawks

The last time Patrick Kane played at the United Center, his homecoming ended in a 3-2 overtime winner complete with a legendary Ken Daniels play call. It was such an iconic play that even Kane reminisced about it when reflecting on why he returned to Detroit.

“Those are moments that kind of give you chills, and when you have that feeling, you want to continue that on and create more of those moments,” Kane said July 8.

Well, Kane will get a sequel Nov. 6, when he and the Red Wings travel to Chicago for another game against his NHL alma mater. Like last time, former Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat will join him in the reunion tour, but so will new free agent acquisition Erik Gustafsson, a journeyman who started his career with Chicago.

For the Blackhawks, this game will have some meaning for its players, too. Former Red Wings fan-favorite forward Tyler Bertuzzi signed with Chicago in free agency. In five games against Detroit since he was traded at the 2023 deadline, Bertuzzi has a goal and two assists against his former team with a -1 rating.

Tuesday, January 7 vs. Ottawa Senators

When David Perron spoke to reporters at his April exit interview, he spoke of his desire to remain a Red Wing for the foreseeable future. He loved living in Detroit, with its proximity to his Quebec home and the way his family was accepted by the Red Wings. He also had his fair share of heroics for the Winged Wheel, including the tying goal in Detroit’s April 16 game against the Montreal Canadiens that kept their playoff hopes alive for a few more minutes.

Instead, Detroit didn’t re-sign Perron, and he left to play for division rival Ottawa in free agency. Players tend to have good games against their former teams, and the battle-winning Perron is already a pain in the neck to play against.

Detroit’s bouts with Ottawa have already been chock full of meaning in the past few seasons, some of the most defining of the past couple seasons. In 2023, a back-to-back drubbing by the Senators caused Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman to sell at the deadline, trading off key pieces in Bertuzzi and defenseman Filip Hronek. Last season, a Dec. 9 game at Little Caesars Arena saw Detroit captain Dylan Larkin knocked out by a Mathieu Joseph hit, causing Perron to attack Senators defenseman Artem Zub as retaliation because he thought he was the perpetrator.

Thursday, January 16, at Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup this season, and they’ll look to win another next season. Many of the core pieces of the team are still in place, and they look to be the crown of the Atlantic Division. This should make for an exciting matchup for Detroit.

Playing a championship team is a good test for a Red Wings team that wants to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The gritty, physical style of Florida is a good barometer for Detroit to measure up its ability against playoff style hockey. That’s saying nothing of the added motivation it could draw from beating a Stanley Cup winning team.

Saturday, March 1, Outdoor Game at Columbus Blue Jackets

The last time the Detroit Red Wings played an outdoor game was New Year’s Day 2017, when they took on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Centennial Classic. This season, they’ll break that slump with an outdoor Stadium Series game against the Columbus Blue Jackets hosted at Ohio Stadium, colloquially known as The Shoe.

Outdoor games are always fun for the spectacle of pros playing in the elements. Outside of the joys of playing outdoor hockey, this game should be extra fun for the Red Wings who played for the University of Michigan hockey team, including Larkin, J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp and Tyler Motte. The Shoe is the home of the Ohio State football team, whose blood-feud with Michigan is one of the most intense rivalries in North American sports.

Monday, March 24 at Utah Hockey Club

The Red Wings’ first taste of Salt Lake City will come March 24, when they take on the new Utah Hockey Club on the road for the first time ever.

Utah, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, has made some aggressive moves this offseason to try and improve. It traded for Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and New Jersey defenseman John Marino to beef up its blue line, and its forward corps got better with the addition of penalty killing forward Kevin Stenlund.

While a revamped Utah team could be a fun matchup for Detroit, the real excitement comes from the first time the Red Wings will get to play there. They’ll be the second-to-last team to play Utah at home or away with their March 6 game at Little Caesars Arena. Only Tampa Bay plays them later, March 22.