Buffalo Sabres Heading to Sweden

As their 2018-19 season limps to a close the Buffalo Sabres are looking ahead to next year.  Out of the playoffs for the eighth straight year that's all they can do at this point, but the team has been selected for a spotlight event for next season.

The National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players Association have announced that the Sabres will be one of four teams participating in the 2019 Global Series.  For the Sabres it means they'll play a pair of regular season games in Stockholm, Sweden against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, November 8th and Saturday, November 9th.

For the Sabres it'll be an opportunity to showcase defenseman Rasmus Dahlin along with forward Johan Larsson and goaltender Linus Ullmark in their home country.  The Lightning have two star players from Sweden; Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman.

In addition for seeing some homegrown hockey players, fans in Sweden may be seeing a defending Stanley Cup champion in action.  With the Lightning running away with the regular season championship by a wide margin this season they're an easy favorite to win the Stanley Cup.  With back to back games against the Lightning it'll be a big challenge for the Sabres.

The other teams playing in the Global Series are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers.  Those two teams will complete their training camps in Europe and play their season opener in Prague, Czech Republic.