Report: Blackhawks, Panthers to Prague

According to a report by Chris Kuc in the Chicago Tribune on New Year's Day, the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers have been invited to open the 2009-2010 season in Prague, Czech Republic.

Blackhawks President John McDonough said the NHL has invited the Blackhawks to open in Europe, where the team's stable of emerging, young players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will be on display to a European hockey audience.

McDonough told The Tribune, "nothing has been finalized, we'll know sometime in the near future." The paper went on to say sources report the game or games would be played in Prague likely against the Panthers.

The Hawks have played in Europe before, when they took on the Montreal Canadiens in two preseason games in London in 1992.

This season, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning opened with two games in Prague, while the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins opened the season in Stockholm, Sweden.

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