Another Greatest Games Interlude: 2008/2009 NHL Schedule Released

I'm sorry for (again) interrupting the discussion I've been running about the Penguins greatest games. I'll try to pick that up once more tomorrow. But I just wanted to put out a short post on next year's schedule, which was fully released today.

The good news for Penguin fans is that they'll get the opportunity to boo Red Wings RW Marion Hossa mercilessly when Detroit visits the Mellon Arena next year.

The bad news is that they'll have to wait until February of 2009 to do it.

The Red Wings are one of 3 Western Conference teams, with the Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks being the others, that the Penguins will match up twice against, once each at home and once each on the road. Otherwise, they will see every team in the West once, thanks to the NHL's new scheduling format, which kicks in for the first time. It will be nice to see a regular dose of teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and the Saint Louis Blues, which the Penguins haven't seen in recent years. Of course, they'll see teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, etc. too., and even though the Penguins have seen those teams once in the last two seasons, it will be nice to see them every year from now on.

Back in the east, the Penguins will face every team in their Division six times, and every other team in their conference 4 times.

Of course, they start the season in a back-to-back set against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden on October 4 and 5. After that they play their next 4 games at the Mellon Arena. The season is filled with the usual home games on the night before and Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Penguins also play on New Year's day. The 2009 portion of their slate is full of weekend afternoon games for NBC's benefit, and contains a handful of Monday and Tuesday evening games for Versus, too. The Penguins' final home game will be against the New York Islanders, and they will conclude their season on the next-to-the-last day of the season on the road against the Montreal Candadiens.

Time to plan a road trip or two ....