from George Johnson of the Calgary Herald,

What malevolent being, what manner of depraved, twisted sadist, came up with this opening couple of weeks?

The Marquis de Sade?...

Wednesday’s season opener against the Vancouver Canucks in the comfy-cosy confines of the Scotiabank Saddledome is followed, in order, by a visit to Edmonton. Then off to St. Louis. Nashville and, shudder!, Chicago back-to-back. They finish up at the Jackets and Jets.

Well, at least the heathens didn’t stuff a three-stop California swing in there as a coup de grace. Thank providence for small mercies.

Still, it shapes up as a Slaughterhouse Six.

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