© Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI

PRAGUE — The NHL will continue expanding its international footprint after playing a preseason game in Germany, two regular-season games in Czechia and two regular-season games in Finland this season.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stated during the European Player Media Tour on Wednesday that they have a list of locations where they wish to host games and expand their markets. He warned against getting too accustomed to the current rotation of Finland, Sweden, and Czechia, suggesting that these locations are likely to change in the near future.

Once this season concludes, the NHL will have held 20 regular-season games in Europe since 2017. These include nine games in Sweden (eight in Stockholm and one in Gothenburg), six in Finland (four in Tampere and two in Helsinki), and five in Czechia, all of which were played in Prague.

During that period, it will have participated in 13 preseason games in Europe, Asia, and Australia. This includes three games in Switzerland, two of which were in Bern and one in Lausanne, and three games in Germany, each held in Munich, Berlin, and Cologne.

The League has not held a regular-season game in Switzerland ever, and has only played one in Germany, which was in 2011. It last visited London for two regular-season games back in 2007.

Daly expressed, “I believe everyone likely has their preferred markets in mind. We are keen on returning to London, a sentiment shared by the players and the NHL Players’ Association who are eager to have a game there. I also see Germany and Switzerland as potential hosts for regular-season games in the near future.”

Daly anticipates the NHL’s return to Australia for preseason games. The League made its inaugural journey to the Southern Hemisphere when the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings participated in two preseason matches on a temporary ice rink at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on September 23-24, 2023.

“Daly expressed his belief that the experience was positive. He highlighted that the starting point was the players and the teams, and whether or not they had a positive experience. Despite the long journey to play two preseason games, Daly felt that the feedback received from both clubs was good. This, he believes, will make it easier to persuade the future two clubs that the initiative in Australia is worth pursuing.

Everything we anticipated from a business perspective flowed successfully. I believe it’s a promising sports market, particularly for North American sports. The fans identify themselves as followers of North American sports in a market that is financially and economically mature.

If using it continues to be a positive experience for the clubs, then it remains logical for us to try to expand our business through it.

When questioned about the possibility of the NHL returning to Melbourne or visiting a city such as Sydney, Daly responded, “That’s a valid question. I’m not certain we’ve advanced to the stage of determining that yet.”

The difficulty in Australia is having ice that is of NHL standard.

Daly expressed, “Creating high-quality ice at Rod Laver Arena did present some challenges. It’s crucial that we get this right as we don’t want to endanger the players’ safety, especially for a preseason game. Before we decide to proceed again, we need to ensure we can reliably produce top-quality ice.”

In the upcoming season, the Buffalo Sabres are set to face EHC Red Bull Munchen in a preseason match. The game, taking place on Sept. 27, 2024, marks the first event at the newly built SAP Garden in Munich, Germany. This match is a part of the 2024 NHL Global Series Challenge Germany, sponsored by Fastenal.

The 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia, presented by Fastenal, will feature two regular-season games between the Sabres and New Jersey Devils. These matches will take place at O2 Arena in Prague on Oct. 4-5.

The Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will finally face off in two regular-season games at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. These games are part of the 2024 NHL Global Series Finland, sponsored by Fastenal, and will take place on Nov. 1-2.

Dallas just made the Western Conference Final for the second straight season. Florida just won the Stanley Cup after going to the Stanley Cup Final in 2022-23. The game will feature several players from Finland, most notably Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, a Tampere native.

Daly said, “It’s set to be a clash of titans, as two of the league’s top teams, both rich in Finnish talent, face off. It’s bound to be riveting.”

NHL players are also slated to take part in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. However, discussions are still ongoing between the League, the International Olympic Committee, the NHL Players’ Association, and the International Ice Hockey Federation.

“From what I understand, we are completely on schedule regarding the venue,” shared Daly. “The expectation was to complete the venue by October 2025 and hold a test tournament in December 2025, which I believe is crucial. The building is in good condition. We are yet to finalize everything with the IOC, NHLPA and IIHF. It’s an ongoing process, but I don’t foresee any problems.”