SIRIUS XM Radio will offer listeners around the country comprehensive coverage of the 2009-10 NHL season with an extensive schedule of live play-by-play of NHL games and daily hockey talk on the NHL Home Ice channel.

Starting with tonight’s Opening Night games and through the Stanley Cup Final, XM listeners will have access to live play-by-play of every regular season and playoff game on XM channels 204-209. SIRIUS subscribers with the “Best of XM” programming package will get most regular season games and every NHL postseason game on SIRIUS channels 208-220.

In addition to live games, SIRIUS XM offers the 24/7 hockey talk radio channel, NHL Home Ice, on XM channel 204 and SIRIUS channel 208 with the “Best of XM.” NHL Home Ice features live play-by-play, plus hockey talk, news and analysis every day of the year.

NHL Home Ice features the weekly live show, NHL Hour, hosted by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and a rotation of League executives, including Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Senior Executive VP of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. The hour-long show, co-hosted by former NHL player Bill Clement, debuts today and airs every Thursday (4:00 pm ET). NHL Hour provides listeners with the latest news and events from the highest levels of the NHL and encourages fans to submit questions by calling 1-877-NHL-ON-XM or emailing HOMEICE@xmradio.ca.

NHL fans can also tune in to SIRIUS channel 122 for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada Radio (weekdays, 4:00 – 7:00 pm ET), hosted by Jeff Marek, Kelly Hrudey, Cassie Campbell Pascall, Craig Simpson and Scott Morrison.

On SIRUS XM Sports Nation, SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 143, former New York Rangers forward Ron Duguay and former New Jersey Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko host their weekly show, Ice Breakers (Thursdays, 7:00 – 9:00 pm ET), a lifestyle-themed show that features the duo’s thoughts on the NHL, lifestyle, entertainment and more.

    Opening Night NHL games on SIRIUS XM:  (All times ET)
                                                         Channels
                                                        XM    SIRI
    Thu, Oct. 1 - 7:00 PM    Washington @ Boston       204     208*
    Thu, Oct. 1 - 7:00 PM    Montreal @ Toronto        205     220*
    Thu, Oct. 1 - 10:00 PM   San Jose @ Colorado       206     219*
    Thu, Oct. 1 - 10:00 PM   Vancouver @ Calgary       204     208*

    * Denotes "Best of XM" channel on SIRIUS.

For more information and a schedule of upcoming NHL games on SIRIUS XM, visit www.xmradio.com/nhl or www.sirius.com/nhl.