The team's 56-game schedule is almost exclusively comprised of two-game sets against Central Division opponents, as part of the NHL's temporary realignment for the 2020-21 season. The Red Wings will take on the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning eight times each: four times at home and four times on the road.
A 310-day gap between games will end on Thursday, Jan. 14, as the Red Wings host the Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena - coincidentally, the same opponent they faced on March 10 prior to the pause that eventually ended the team's 2019-20 regular-season slate. Detroit will start with four-straight home games between Jan. 14-19 before playing 10 of its next 12 games on the road, including a season-long six-game road swing from Feb. 3-13 against Tampa Bay (Feb. 3-5), Florida (Feb. 7-9) and Nashville (Feb. 11-13). The Red Wings will then return to Little Caesars Arena for 12 of their next 16 games, including a pair of season-long six-game homestands from Feb. 15-25 and March 9-20.
Detroit will play back-to-back games on eight occasions in 2020-21. Twenty-five of the team's games will take place on weekends, including four Fridays, 12 Saturdays and nine Sundays, in addition to four Monday games, 12 Tuesdays, two Wednesday and 13 Thursdays. The 56-game regular season will wrap up in Columbus on Saturday, May 8, marking the latest date the Red Wings have ever concluded the regular season.
