One reason it’s been so long is that the league has made a point of flying different teams to Europe each season. In September 2007, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings played each other twice in London, but neither club has played outside of North America since.

AROUND THE PACIFIC

Surely another reason, one that anyone with a globe can tell you, is that it’s a long way from the Western U.S. to Europe.

That’s why the San Jose Sharks and Phoenix Coyotes planned ahead and are already in Germany and the Czech Republic, respectively. San Jose opens the regular season Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Stockholm, Sweden. Phoenix plays the Boston Bruins in Prague on Saturday. The Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild are also starting their seasons in Europe.

The Sharks and Coyotes weren’t exactly drawn from a hat.

Phoenix features Czech forwards Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata and Petr Prucha. Vrbata and Prucha will be playing an NHL game in Prague for the second time in three years — Vrbata was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning when they played Prucha’s New York Rangers at O2 Arena in 2008.

“This time, I just want to try to keep focused on hockey,” Vrbata told the Coyotes’ website. “Forget about all the distractions on your hand. It will be nice, but I’ll keep focused on hockey.”

Added Hanzal, who played in the Czech League as recently as 2005-06, “I think the fans are going to be awesome. I can’t wait to see it.”

The Sharks feature Swedish defensemen Niclas Wallin, Andreas Lilja and Douglas Murray. Lilja, who was invited to the Sharks’ training camp on a pro tryout contract, still hasn’t officially signed with the club, though he would have to in order to play Saturday.

Wallin told NHL.com that 14 residents of his native Boden — a 12-hour drive from Stockholm – will be in attendance.

Lilja would have played in Stockholm last year as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, but was sidelined by a concussion until March. "It was tough not to play,” he told NHL.com. “I got to be honest. I still had a lot of fun. I was kind of like an ambassador for the team. I was showing the rest of the staff a good time in town. It was fun."

Murray, whose mother is Swedish and father’s family is of Scottish origin, is a Helsinki native. But for most players involved, Europe is a long ways from home.

“It’s a long way to travel to play some games, but I think our players are very enthused about it,” Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett told the team’s website. “Once we got on the ice, it’ll be all business.”

He isn’t kidding. According to the San Jose Mercury News’ Sharks blog, the San Jose players had to leave their wives and girlfriends in California.

 

 

The Ducks voted 25-year-old center Ryan Getzlaf team captain on Saturday. In his first game with a “C” on his jersey, Getzlaf had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 overtime win over the Kings, capping the Ducks’ preseason record at 3-4-0. … D Cam Fowler, the 12th overall pick in the June Entry Draft, is set to start the season in the NHL. … D Severin Blindenbacher, C Aaron Gagnon, D Philip Larsen and RW Tomas Vincour comprised the Stars’ final training-camp cuts Monday. … Mike Ribeiro was voted team captain for Saturday’s preseason game against the St. Louis. Team captain Brenden Morrow, and alternates Brad Richards, Stephane Robidas and Steve Ott, had the game off. … The Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 last Wednesday to finish the preseason 2-4. … RW Benn Ferriero, RW Cam MacIntyre, D Nick Petrecki, D Jay Leach and D Sean Sullivan were sent to AHL affiliate Worcester to complete the training-camp cuts. … The Kings placed LW Rich Clune and G Erik Ersberg on waivers, and signed G Jonathan Bernier to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension Monday. Bernier, who is slated to be the backup to Jonathan Quick, led the team in goals-against average (1.86) and save percentage (.919) in the preseason. … The Coyotes released center Kyle Wellwood, who was in training camp on a pro tryout contract.