NHL Releases Pre-Season Schedule

The NHL released the pre-season schedule yesterday.

The highlight of the schedule is 4 teams opening pre-season and remaining in Europe to start the regular 2008-2009 NHL season.

The Lightning starts it all off on September 28th playing against the 2008 German league champion Eisbaren Berlin in the German capital at the new 02 World Arena.

On September 30th, the Rangers will play the 11-time Swiss league champion SC Bern which will be the first time a Swiss team will play against an NHL team. Then on October 1st, they face Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Bern, Switzerland to complete for the Victoria Cup (a trophy which will be awarded to the victor of a match between an NHL team and the winner of Europe’s IIHF-sanctioned Champions Hockey League each year).

The Senators will face Swedish club Frolunda in Gothenburg, while the Penguins will meet Finnish club Jokerit in Helsinki.

The pre-season schedule will also feature several games played in arenas outside the NHL market including Halifax, NS; Kansas City, MO (THANKS to the Pens remaining in Pittsburgh!!); Las Vegas, NV; London, ON; Moncton, NB; Salt Lake City, UT; Summerside, PEI; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I've never been a fan of professional sports being introduced into European markets. I didn't like the idea when the NFL made mention of it and I especially don't enjoy the fact that teams will begin the NHL season in Europe (especially since one of the teams is Pittsburgh)! I can't give you a specific reason why, but I just know I don't like it -- maybe it's because it's OUR league. They have their own thing and we have ours -- why can't we just leave it at that?!