against the St. Louis Blues. Detroit has seven players from Sweden.



My questions are
1. How would this make you feel?
2. Would this ultimately prove to be beneficial or negative for the league, or team? (maybe have no impact at all?)
3. Do you think this could be a new ''trend'' with teams? Could this start a pattern where teams look to go overseas for a few games?
4. In the long term view of things, ultimately, could this open the doors to more competitive leagues over seas? More players looking to join the KHL and such? Or will this simply broaden the fan base of the NHL?
5. What, if any, would be the point in doing this? l just do not get it. l understand the 7 players from Sweden would like to go play at home for a few games, but then again, they have 8 players from Canada, does that mean they should play a few of their games in Alberta? l just do not see the logic, but l am willing to hear yours!

If a team is losing $200,000 a game at home due to give aways & empty seats any chance to get the rest of the league to subsidize their operation works.
If the league is going to have to subsidize some teams anyway why do not they send the teams that r getting the money to Europe for the start not a team that should be paying their own way. Why they chose the teams they did this year is beyond me.
The only way leagues in Europe can become competitive with the NHL is if players want to play there rather than in the NHL. Money does not do it so maybe a full interlocking schedule could work. But not until there r no struggling franchises in North America. When 30% of the NHL teams report an operating loss. There should be no reason for shipping games over seas.

1. indifferent-This NHL season started in Stockholm (sens vs. Pens)and Prague(Rangers vs.Lightning )anyway
2. l think the reasoning is two-fold.to create a broader fan base in Europe(hence selling more merchandise-more TV) & to keep the NHL first & foremostly recognized as the highest level of play in the world with the emergence of the KHL..
3.It could-but if they ''over-do'' it there could be alot of unhappy campers..season ticket holders for example & people who work in the arenas (consession stands-vendors etc.)
4.Doing this isnt going to give rise to the creation of more new leagues-its the NHL protecting their own best interests
5.see #2^...The NHL isnt the only pro sports league doing this.the 2008 MLB regular season schedule opened in Tokyo,Japan with a game between the Oakland A is & Boston Red Sox.its soley about expanding marketing in this case.

l read talk of Detroit preseason games in Sweden but not regular season. It usually is better when u provide a link. l just looked it up & read it myself. Apparently Detroit does not want to lose money from their preseason games.

1. Is it even news really? You must be a newer fan because as someone already mentioned above, the NHL has been opening in Europe for the last couple of seasons!!
2. See above.
3. See above.
4. Hockey chat boards discussed this 3 years ago when it started happening.
5.If l have to explain the logic then u will never get it.
P.S. If u have one of those orange badges, do not u have to prove u know this stuff? Anaheim & L.A opened two years ago in England. How many of them were British? Just THIS YEAR, the NYR & TB opened in Prague!! Where were you?