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NHL: Stage set for spirited new NHL season

New York Rangers players on Thursday attend their first practice session in Prague’s O2 Arena, where they will open the National Hockey League’s 2008-2009 season in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning today. PHOTO: AFP

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) overseas opening and riveting outdoor game proved to be so popular last year it decided to repeat both showcases in the 2008-2009 season.

Throw in a 100-year anniversary of the hallowed Montreal Canadiens franchise and the excitement of watching Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin battle for MVP honors and all the ingredients exist for a spirited new season.

It wasn’t that long ago that the mighty Detroit Red Wings were hoisting their 11th Stanley Cup trophy after putting away Crosby’s Penguins. The Penguins’ quest to get back to the final begins today in Stockholm, Sweden, when they face the Ottawa Senators.

The New York Rangers square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague, Czech Republic, today.

The same four teams play again tomorrow as the league decided to double the number of overseas games from last year, when Anaheim and Los Angeles opened the 2007-2008 season in London.

The league’s North American opening is on Thursday, when Detroit begins their quest to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the same Red Wings franchise won back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998.

The Wings will raise their 11th Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters just prior to their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Detroit still has a way to go to catch the Canadiens’ record of 24 Stanley Cup titles. Montreal will be part of a year long celebration as they honor their 100th year of existence.

Montreal has also been awarded the 2009 NHL All-Star Game and the entry draft which will be held next summer at the Bell Centre arena.

The Red Wings will visit historic Wrigley Field on Jan. 1 to take part in the NHL’s second Winter Classic in as many years.

The Chicago Blackhawks host the outdoor game which will feature two of the league’s original six franchises.

Last season a record crowd of 71,217 watched the Penguins play the Sabres in a snowstorm at Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium. Edmonton hosted the NHL’s first outdoor game in 2003 when 57,167 crammed into Commonwealth Stadium to see the Oilers play Montreal.

Pittsburgh fell on hard times after the retirement of Mario Lemieux but hockey is becoming fashionable again in the city since the arrival of Crosby who led the Pens to the Stanley Cup finals last year.

Crosby, who was troubled by a sore groin in the pre-season, has a supporting cast that includes 47-goal scorer Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Petr Sykora. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is hoping to carry the momentum over from his superb playoff performance to the regular season.

Hockey is also enjoying a resurgence in Chicago where rising stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews provide a solid base to build a winning franchise.

The Blackhawks showed their faith in Toews by recently making him one of the youngest captains in franchise history at age 20. Chicago has not made the playoffs in the past six years but that should change this year.

The New Jersey Devils know where they would be without future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur. The four-time Vezina winner as the league’s top goalie is nearing a number of milestones.

Brodeur needs eight shutouts to surpass Terry Sawchuk (103) for first place on the all-time list and 14 victories to eclipse Patrick Roy’s all-time win record.

Two high-scoring French Canadian players are returning to their clubs after missing most of last season with injuries.

Simon Gagne, who scored at 40 goals in back-to-back seasons before getting hurt, should give the Philadelphia Flyers a lift. He sat out all but 25 games last season, suffering from post-concussion symptoms.

The Boston Bruins are pleased to see Patrice Bergeron back in their lineup. The skilled forward missed all but 10 games last year after being hit by Randy Jones of Philadelphia.

A number of key players changed uniforms in the offseason, including former Vancouver Canucks star Markus Nasland of Sweden, who joined the New York Rangers. Agitating forward Sean Avery is now in Dallas and Calgary is taking a chance on Todd Bertuzzi who made a brief stop in Anaheim.

Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek retired for the second and likely final time but defenseman Chris Chelios is back for his 25th NHL season although he could miss the Red Wings opener with a injured knee.
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