MUNICH -- Alex Tuch's first impression of SAP Garden had the Buffalo Sabres forward thinking about his own future, about a decade down the road, and what he might consider doing.
"I think this would be a great place to play," Tuch said. "I have some German background so who knows, push comes to shove, maybe in 10 years I'll come over here and play here for a year, bring the family over. That would be kind of fun. I think this place is incredible."
Tuch and the Sabres will make history in the new arena Friday, when building operators open the doors for the first event in SAP Garden history, the 2024 NHL Global Series Challenge Germany presented by Fastenal between the Sabres and EHC Red Bull Munchen (2:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B), the local team from the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany's top professional hockey league.
The Sabres will open the regular season against the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal at O2 Arena in Prague on Oct. 4 with a second game on Oct. 5. Those will be the eighth and ninth regular season games in Prague.
Friday's game is the first featuring an NHL team in Munich. The new arena is a big reason why.
"I mean, I can just speak if that were to happen in my hometown in Sweden it would mean the world to Swedish hockey, the city," said defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who was named Buffalo captain Thursday. "It's a really big deal and we do take it seriously. We respect everything that is going on around us. Every single guy in there is super pumped and excited for what's going to happen. It's going to be fun."
Several Sabres players have toured the building, including forward JJ Peterka, who is from Munich and played for Red Bull from 2019-21. Peterka did a walking tour with two Red Bull players on Wednesday. He trained in the building with Red Bull over the summer.
Tuch said he was blown away by the facilities, especially the gym and the fact that there are two practice rinks in the building on the same level as the main rink.
The Sabres have practiced in Rink 1 the past two days.
"I've walked around and I've seen a good part of it, and it's an incredible facility; the practice rink, the main rink, their locker room," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's a building you want to come and play in for sure."
The building was a vision of EHC Red Bull Munchen, who previously played its home games at Olympia Eishalle, a 57-year-old facility that seats approximately 6,000 for hockey games.