Why are more people not complaining about this. Besides the fact that a lot of players don’t like it, and it screws up their preseason and regular season schedule, it takes away a home game from both teams involved.

Stop trying to gain more fans in Europe when there are still franchises struggling in the US and Canada!
Why not open the season in… Las Vegas, Kansas City, Hartford, or Winnipeg?  All cities that want teams and/or had teams would be thrilled to have a game played there.

Posted by Kevin from Pittsburgh on 09/28/08 at 03:28 PM ET

I’m not a fan. Nice for Europe to see their stars, but the travel has got to be grueling on the players. And how many of the team’s fans get to see those games? You folks in Pittsburgh going to be awake to watch your game live? Even a re-broadcast isn’t going to have the same appeal. More lost revenue and TV time. Exactly what the league needs.

Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 09/28/08 at 03:49 PM ET

Yeah the games are gonna be early not late.

Thursdays game against Jokerit is at 11:30 AM, so no one will be watching because people have jobs and school and what not. Then the opener is at 2:30 PM saturday, then next game sunday 2:30 PM sunday.

So hockey fans in the US will be able to watch them, but as for non hockey fans, they will be too busy watching college football and NFL. So Gary managed to make it a big hit in Europe, while no one in the US watches it.

Posted by Kevin from Pittsburgh on 09/28/08 at 04:05 PM ET

Good call. I was thinking 4am games and the like. Still piss poor timing, but not as bad.

Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 09/28/08 at 05:46 PM ET

Hmmmm…

I wonder how many of the European arenas being played in are owned (or invested in) by AEG, the same group that owns the Kings?

… and the empty Kansas City arena ...

... and has interest in building an arena in Las Vegas ...

If I recall from last year, they are an investor in the arena in London with the stupid name.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/28/08 at 07:57 PM ET

well guys, as a european nhl fan, i have to say that it’s all part of the bargain… after all, if you like watching zetterberg, ovechkin, and kopitar, then it’s not unfair to let the people of sweden, russia, and… slovenia (!) enjoy them in the flesh as well.

though that argument wears a little thin for games in london… um… does byron dafoe still count? (or daniel taylor, the 7th choice goalie for the la kings!)

also… can we see an end to this trend of having both games of the european back-to-back in the same place? for example, london is not that far from manchester, and the men arena in the latter has a capacity of about 18000; most hockey teams in the uk are located in the north, so it would make more sense to play a game in each location. i’m sure it’s the same for gothenburg in sweden, europe really isn’t that big!

Posted by fredster on 09/29/08 at 05:20 AM ET