Nashville, Tenn. (July 17, 2008) - The National Hockey League released the 2008-09 regular-season schedule today and the Nashville Predators will open their 11th NHL season on the road for the first time since 2002-03 by traveling to St. Louis on Oct. 10 to take on the Central Division rival Blues. The Predators’ home opener comes a day later, on Saturday, Oct. 11, when they host the Dallas Stars at the Sommet Center. Nashville will play 15 Saturday home games at the Sommet Center and 12 Thursday night contests.

The Sommet Center will be at its busiest in February when the Predators play host to 10 games, while the club will kick off the campaign with 13 of its first 20 games on the road, including nine away contests in November.

The 2008-09 season marks the first time since 2003-04 that the Predators will play all other 29 teams in the NHL at least once. To allow for more games against Eastern Conference opponents, Nashville will play its Central Division rivals six times – three at home and three away – as opposed to eight times. In addition to three “wild card” opponents from the East that the Preds will play both home and away (Atlanta, Florida and Washington), Nashville will play host to six other Eastern Conference foes (Boston, New Jersey, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa and Pittsburgh) while traveling to the other six Eastern cities (Buffalo, Carolina, Montreal, Philadelphia, Toronto and Tampa Bay). Nashville’s 82-game schedule will also feature four games against Western Conference teams outside its division.

The Predators will host the 2008 Stanley Cup Champion and rival Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 26, Feb. 10 and Feb. 28 and travel to the Motor City on Feb. 18, March 29 and April 9, while Nashville’s closest geographical rival, the Atlanta Thrashers, come to town Jan. 17.

Alex Ovechkin, the 2007-08 NHL MVP and scoring leader, will visit the Sommet Center on March 10, while Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the 2008 Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins come to town on Jan. 8. On Nov. 1, former Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun will lead his Florida Panthers into the Sommet Center.

Like last year, Nashville will again be busy around the holidays at home this season. The Predators will play host to the Red Wings the day after Christmas (Dec. 26), and will kick-off a season-high five-game homestand on New Year’s Day against Vancouver. Nashville will also take to home ice on Martin Luther King Day (New Jersey on Jan. 19) and President’s Day (Ottawa on Feb. 16).

The Predators schedule includes 13 sets of back-to-back games and three home-and-home series (vs. Columbus on Oct. 17 and 18, Chicago on Jan. 10 and 11 and St. Louis on Feb. 19 and 21).

The 2009 NHL All-Star festivities will take place in Montreal on Saturday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 25.

Face-off for all Predators home contests will be at 7:00 p.m. (Central time), with the two exceptions being a 6 p.m. start on Tuesday, Nov. 25 (vs. St. Louis) and a 2:00 p.m. face-off on Saturday, Jan. 3 (vs. Calgary).

Click here to see the entire Predators 2008-09 Schedule.