Must-see games on the 2008/09 NHL schedule

From Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated:

But before we get to that point, there are more than 1,200 games to be played. Although it won’t be for lack of trying, we can’t watch ’em all. So here’s a look at some of the dates we’ve circled on our calendar after giving the schedule the once-over:

Oct 4: Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa in Stockholm; New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay in Prague

Last season’s opening series between the Ducks and Kings in London wasn’t as jolly good as the league had hoped, but forcing hockey on the English was a classic square peg/round hole situation. The Swedes and Czechs should be much more welcoming hosts, even if Jaromir Jagr’s decision to bolt to Russia takes some of the lustre off the Prague game. Of course, fans will still have the thrill of watching Filip Kuba and Petr Prucha and, likely, the NHL debut of top pick Steve Stamkos.

Read the rest of the must-see games here.

I am not really one to look ahead at the schedule and determine what will be the marquee games of the season. The fact is, so much changes throughout the season that games that look good in August many times look ordinary in December.