The Blue Jackets will open the 2010-11 season with two games in Sweden, multiple NHL sources told The Dispatch.
No date or opponent has been set, and an NHL spokesman would not confirm the report yesterday, nor would Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson.
Sportsnet.ca reported that the NHL has settled on six clubs to play in Europe at the start of next season: Columbus, Boston, Carolina, Minnesota, Phoenix and San Jose.
The Blue Jackets have four Swedish players: defenseman Anton Stralman and forwards Kristian Huselius, Sammy Pahlsson and Fredrik Modin, although Modin will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
This season marked the third straight to open with games in Europe. Detroit and St. Louis played two games in Stockholm, Sweden, and Chicago and Florida played two in Helsinki, Finland. But the NHL has a history dating to the 1930s of playing games overseas.
According to the Boston Globe, the Bruins will face the Phoenix Coyotes in two regular season games in late September in Prague, Czech Republic to open the 2010-11 season.
Nach Prag würde ich auch fahren, ist von mir aus eh kürzer als nach Köln. Wären da nicht die tschechischen "Abzocker". Die nehmen doch wieder Preise vom anderen Stern. Wenn es wieder so ein Ding wird wie damals, als die Rangirls und die Tampaschwuppen da waren, lasse ich es wahrscheinlich besser sein.