Toronto, ON (Best E Casino) - The National Hockey League announced the 2008-09 regular season schedule Thursday, and the NHL Premiere event will take place in Sweden and the Czech Republic on October 4-5.

In back-to-back games, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning will battle in Prague, while the past two Eastern Conference champions -- the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins -- will meet in Stockholm to open regular season play overseas.

The four teams will also play in exhibition games in Germany, Finland and Switzerland prior to the historic duels.

Stateside, the Detroit Red Wings begin their quest of defending the Stanley Cup in their October 9 opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Three other games share the slate with the Red Wings, but all eyes will be on Joe Louis Arena for the unveiling of the championship banner.

The next night, the Montreal Canadiens open their 100th season in Buffalo, and face off against the Boston Bruins in their home opener on October 15 at the Bell Centre, where the 57th All-Star Game (January 25) and 2009 NHL Entry Draft (June 26-27) will be held.

One of the many highlights of the regular season is the third ever outdoor game pitting two storied franchises. On New Year's Day, the 2009 NHL Winter Classic will showcase the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings at Chicago's Wrigley Field, the first game to be played in an outdoor baseball stadium.

The second half of the regular season begins January 27, a little over a month before the March 3 trade deadline.

The regular season finale will take place on April 12 with four games on the docket and the playoffs in 16 teams' rearview mirror.