When it's all said and done, the average die-hard hockey fan just wants the game back even if that means the return of Don Cherry in Hockey Night in Canada's Coaches Corner.

So fire up the big screen TVs boys because Wednesday, October 5 is opening night in the world of hockey. The National Hockey League announced on Wednesday the 2005-06 schedule and for the first time in professional hockey history, all thirty teams will be playing that first night.

Regular season will run until April 18, 2006 and the Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 22 with the very last game of the season ending on June 19.

October 5 will see the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators in Toronto, the Boston Bruins will host Montreal, the Edmonton Oilers will host the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary will be in Minnesota. Vancouver, possibly still minus Todd Bertuzzi will be on home ice against Phoenix.