NEW YORK - One can excuse the Anaheim Ducks if they look at Big Ben a bit differently.

Regardless of what time London’s 316-foot clock-tower displays, the calendar will read September 29, marking the earliest start to a National Hockey League season.

The Stanley Cup champion Ducks will open the league’s 90th anniversary season with a two-game series against the Los Angeles Kings at the O2 Arena in London.  It marks the first time the NHL will hold a regular-season game in Europe.

The Ducks will return to North America and play three road contests before hoisting the Stanley Cup banner in their home opener against the Boston Bruins on October 10.

Anaheim also will host the Ottawa Senators in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch on March 3.  Ironically, the teams did not meet in the regular season in 2006-07.

The Ducks are in great demand, serving as the opening-night opponents for three teams - the Detroit Red Wings on October 3, the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 5 and the Pittsburgh Penguins a day later.  October 6 serves as the busiest day of the season, with all but two of the NHL’s 30 clubs in action.

Speaking of strange bedfellows, the Buffalo Sabres will “welcome” the return of Daniel Briere and his new team, the Philadelphia Flyers, when the clubs play a home-and-home series beginning at HSBC Arena on December 21.

The Flyers inked Briere to an eight-year contract reportedly worth $52 million on July 1, the first day of the NHL’s free-agent signing period.

Buffalo also will receive its first look at its other former co-captain in center Chris Drury when it visits the New York Rangers on January 16.  Drury signed a five-year deal with the Rangers reportedly worth $35.25 million.

Speaking of the Rangers, they will reintroduce center Scott Gomez to the New Jersey Devils on October 25.  After spending his first seven seasons with the Devils, Gomez joined Drury on the Rangers on July 1, inking a seven-year deal reportedly worth $51.5 million.

Gomez’s first game against his former club marks the finale of the Devils’ nine-game road trip to start the season.

Two nights later, the Devils will open the new Prudential Center in Newark against the Eastern Conference champion Senators, the same team that ended New Jersey’s tenure at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford in the conference semifinals.

The New York Islanders will not have to wait long to pay Jason Blake a visit.  The Isles face their leading scorer from 2006-07 when they meet his Toronto Maple Leafs on October 11.

Toronto signed the coveted All-Star center to a five-year contract worth reportedly $20 million on July 1.

The Islanders will see former left wing Ryan Smyth when they travel to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche on January 6. The man known as “Captain Canada”, who will return to Edmonton to face the Oilers on October 23, signed a five-year deal with Colorado worth reportedly $31 million on July 2.

Edmonton, meanwhile, may wish to circle January 17 on its calendar.  That’s the date the Oilers will travel to Washington to meet and greet Michael Nylander and the Capitals.

The Capitals reeled in the veteran center with a four-year contract on July 2, a day after the Oilers believed they had agreed to a deal with the Swede.

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The Rangers visit the Maple Leafs on November 10 in the annual “Hall of Fame” game.  Two nights later, the Hall officially will welcome Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis and Scott Stevens in the players category, while Jim Gregory will be added in the builders category.

The Atlanta Thrashers and Philips Arena will host the All-Star Weekend on January 26-27.  All-Star Saturday, including the YoungStars Game and SuperSkills competition, will be followed by the 56th All-Star Game on Sunday.

The NHL schedule emphasizes divisional play, with each team playing eight games against its four division rivals, while playing four games against each of the 10 non-division clubs in its respective conference.

The Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on April 9 and conclude no later than June 9.

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