Blue Jackets open at home with Blackhawks

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets will play the first home game of their 10th season against the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 15, one of the highlights of the 2010-11 schedule announced Tuesday.

The Blue Jackets will open the season against San Jose in Stockholm on Oct. 8-9.

Columbus faces off six times against Central Division opponents Chicago, Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis. The club again will play four games against non-divisional Western Conference opponents and 18 contests against Eastern Conference clubs.

In addition to home-and-home sets against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, Columbus will also host the Eastern Conference’s New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.