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4.10.2024 19:00 5.10.2024 16:00

2024 NHL GLOBAL SERIES

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The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), together with Live Nation, today announced that the 2024 NHL Global Series™ presented by Fastenal will be headlined by the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers.

On Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 5, the Sabres and Devils will open the 2024-25 regular season with a pair of games at Prague’s O2 Arena. The games in Prague will be played on October 4 at 7:00 p.m. and October 5 at 4:00 p.m.

In advance of traveling to Prague, the Sabres will finish their training camp in Munich, Germany and will meet Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) club Red Bull Munich in an exhibition match Friday, Sept. 27. This will be the grand-opening event at Red Bull Munich’s brand-new home venue, SAP. The Stars and Panthers will then meet at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2.

  • Tickets for the games in Prague, Czechia between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils go on sale on Thursday, March 21 at 10 a.m. CET, at https://www.livenation.cz/artist-nhl-global-series-1110927 .
  • Tickets for the games in Tampere, Finland between the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers go on sale on Friday, March 22 at 10 a.m. EET at https://www.livenation.fi/artist-nhl-global-series-1110927 .
  • Tickets for the game in Munich, Germany between the Buffalo Sabres and Red Bull Munich go on sale on Tuesday, May 7.

The 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal will mark the 11th season that the NHL has traveled to Europe to play regular-season games. These games reward the legions of loyal and passionate fans in Europe that enjoy live NHL games available via international broadcast and media partners, including MTV Oy and Viaplay (Finland), TV10 and Viaplay (Sweden), TV3 and Viaplay (Norway and Denmark), Nova and NovaSport (Czechia and Slovakia), Dajto (Slovakia), Sky and ProSieben (Germany), Sky (Austria) and MySports (Switzerland), as well as the NHL’s streaming service, NHL.TV. The NHL’s biggest star players are also featured across numerous social media platforms, and on NHL.com in seven languages, for the League’s international fans. Of the 42 previous NHL regular-season games played outside of North America, there have been seven games played in Czechia, all at O2 Arena in Prague. The two games in Tampere this season will mark the third and fourth games to be played at Nokia Arena in that city, and the 10th and 11th in Finland.

The 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal will be the first experience for the Stars playing regular-season games outside North America, becoming the 27th franchise to play in such games. The event will mark the second time the Devils have traveled overseas to play regular-season games and the third such trip for both the Sabres and Panthers. Results of regular-season games played outside of North America by New Jersey, Buffalo and Florida are listed below, as well as links to a complete history of NHL preseason games and regular-season games played outside North America.

The NHL is a global League, with more than 30 percent of NHL Players this season having been born outside of North America. There are multiple international stars on the rosters of all four Clubs participating in the 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, including natives of the countries in which the games are being played. Sabres forward JJ Peterka will be returning to his birthplace when the Club visits Munich to face off against his former team. Peterka played 72 DEL games with Red Bull Munich during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, prior to making the transition to North America to join the Sabres. Then, in Prague, two Czech-born Devils forwards, Ondrej Palat and Tomas Nosek, will be returning to their native land, as will Sabres forward Lukas Rousek, who played 161 games over four seasons (2017-18 through 2020-21) with Prague-based Czech Extraliga club Sparta Praha.

In November, Tampere will welcome back a pair of native sons, in Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov and Stars forward Roope Hintz. In addition to hailing from Tampere, both of those mainstays spent time with SM-liiga teams that call Nokia Arena home. Barkov was drafted second overall in 2013 by the Panthers from Tappara Tampere, and Hintz started his SM-liiga career with Ilves Tampere in 2013-14. Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola also spent a season (2017-18) with Tappara Tampere, and two other teammates, forwards Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, will also be returning to their home country. Additionally, there will be a homecoming for a trio of other Finnish-born Stars regulars, defensemen Jani Hakanpää, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.

More information on the 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, including start times, ticketing and broadcast information, will be announced when available at www.livenation.cz , as well as on NHL.com/fi ,  NHL.com/cs and  NHL.com/de , and international social media accounts  @NHL_fi ,  @NHLcz  and  @NHLde ,  which will serve as the official home for all of the latest news and information about the 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, as well as other features from around the NHL. Media wishing to receive news releases and advisories relating to the 2024 NHL Global Series must register and subscribe at Media.NHL.com .

THE OFFICIAL SELLERS OF TICKETS FOR THE EVENT ARE TICKETMASTER AND TICKETPORTAL. WE DO NOT WARRANT THE VALIDITY OF TICKETS PURCHASED FROM OTHER SELLERS.

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Gary Bettman answering media questions at the global series

NHL headed to play in new country for global series this year

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Red Wings, Wild, Senators and Maple Leafs Headline the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden

An unprecedented four NHL clubs in one European city are set to play matchups in Stockholm Nov. 16-19.

Red Wings, Wild, Senators and Maple Leafs Headline the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden

NEW YORK/TORONTO/STOCKHOLM (April 26, 2023) –  The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), in conjunction with Live Nation, today announced plans for the  2023 NHL Global Series™  – Sweden , which will feature the  Detroit Red Wings ,  Minnesota Wild ,  Ottawa Senators  and  Toronto Maple Leafs  in a slate of four regular-season games to take place Nov. 16-19 at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. These games will mark the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th games played in Stockholm, which has hosted more NHL regular-season games than any other city outside of North America. Each team will play two regular-season games in Stockholm as part of the 2023 NHL Global Series  – Sweden :

nhl european tour

The 2023 NHL Global Series is promoted by Live Nation Sweden, with official partners CCM, Fastenal, SAP and Upper Deck. Aftonbladet and Viaplay will serve as the official media partners of the event. Tickets and fan travel packages to the 2023 NHL Global Series  – Sweden will go on sale at 10 a.m. CET on Wednesday, May 3, at  LiveNation.se/NHL .

To date, there have been 38 NHL regular-season games played outside of North America, including 32 played in Europe. There have been 13 NHL regular-season games played in Sweden, 12 of which were played in Stockholm at Ericsson Globe. The  2023 NHL Global Series  – Sweden  will mark the 10th season overall that the NHL has traveled to Europe to play regular-season games. These games reward the legions of loyal and passionate fans in Europe that enjoy live NHL games available via international broadcast and media partners, including Nova, MySports, Sky Sports, ProSieben, Viaplay and YLE, as well as the NHL’s streaming service,  NHL.TV . The NHL’s biggest star players are also featured across numerous social media platforms, and on  NHL.com  in eight languages, for the League’s international fans.

The  2023 NHL Global Series  – Sweden  will highlight a regular-season record four NHL clubs in one European city for games and will mark the first time the Maple Leafs will play NHL regular-season games outside of North America, as Toronto will become the 26th franchise to play in such a game. The event will be the second time that both the Red Wings and Wild have traveled abroad to play regular-season games, and the third such trip for the Senators. Results for regular-season games played outside of North America by Detroit, Minnesota and Ottawa are listed below, as well as hyperlinks to a complete history of NHL preseason games and regular-season games played outside North America.

nhl european tour

*  Preseason Games Played Outside North America *  Regular-Season Games Played Outside North America * Standings for Regular-Season Games Played Outside North America

The NHL is a global League, with more than 30 percent of NHL players this season having been born outside of North America. There are 36 players of European nationalities on the Red Wings, Wild, Senators and Maple Leafs, including 21 players of Swedish nationality:

nhl european tour

More information on the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden will be announced when available here , as well as on NHL.com/sv and international social media account @NHLsv , which will serve as the official home for all of the latest news and information about the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden , as well as other features from around the NHL. Media wishing to receive news releases and advisories for the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden must register and subscribe at Media.NHL.com .

Lyon mutes the noise along continued success between the pipes

From successes to setbacks, 31-year-old Alex Lyon remains focused on the task at hand with the Detroit Red Wings.

Celebrations bloom for Marc-Andre Fleury Night

Marc-Andre Fleury’s latest illustrious achievements were celebrated by the Minnesota Wild in a night full of flowers and old friends with the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins in town.

Fleury second in all-time NHL wins, first in pulling off pranks

Marc-Andre Fleury is leaving an NHL legacy for his talents between the pipes and for what he brings to the locker room.

Ugly sweaters and acting debuts, Matthews stars with SickKids

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has teamed up with Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds for a fundraising ad in support of SickKids.

DeBrincat’s hometown dream bolstered with Kane reunion

Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat spent five seasons together as members of the Chicago Blackhawks prior to reconnecting in Detroit.

Faber draws inspiration from sister, Paige, on rise to the NHL

Brock Faber’s sister, Paige, a star athlete and member of Minnesota Special Hockey, shares her younger brother’s love for the game.

NHL announces regular-season games, exhibition contests in Europe as part of 2022 NHL Global Series

nhl european tour

The NHL is taking its 2022-23 season international, with regular-season games and exhibition contests scheduled for Finland, Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland.

The 2022 NHL Global Series and 2022 NHL Global Series Challenge will feature the Nashville Predators , San Jose Sharks , Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche . It's the first time the NHL is playing regular-season games outside of North America since 2019.

The Predators and Sharks will open the regular season with games on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at the O2 Arena in in Prague, Czech Republic. It will mark the first time the Predators will play a regular-season game in Europe, after having previously played two of them in Japan in 2000. The Sharks have one of the biggest Czech-born stars in Tomas Hertl .

The Blue Jackets and Avalanche will play a pair of regular-season games on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 in Tampere, Finland. The Blue Jackets have a Finnish-born star in winger Patrik Laine , while Colorado has Finnish-born Mikko Rantanen .

The 2022 NHL Global Series Challenge will feature exhibition games in Switzerland and Germany. The Predators will face SC Bern on Oct. 3 at PostFinance Arena in Bern, Switzerland. Roman Josi of the Predators will be playing in his hometown of Bern.

The Sharks will take on Eisbären Berlin at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany, on Oct. 4

Prior to their games in Prague, the Predators and Sharks will complete their training camps in Europe.

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Bellemare using NHL European Player Media Tour to grow hockey in France

PARIS, FRANCE – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was understandably the most excited among the 19 players at the NHL European Player Media Tour in Paris on Wednesday.

Born in the Paris suburb of Le Blanc-Mesnil, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward normally returns to the City of Lights once a year with his family to visit his sister. But like everyone else, he didn’t travel much the past two offseasons because of the coronarius pandemic.

So having the NHL use Paris for the first time as the European site to promote its upcoming season was a welcome opportunity for Bellemare to come home and bring more attention to the sport he loves in his native country.

“I think it’s pretty cool. I love it,” Bellemare said. “The only downside of it is the French media is not aware. I would’ve loved to have French media so we could use it also for growing the game in France because it’s needed.”

Bellemare, who lives in Skelleftea, Sweden, in the offseason, is one of three players born in France who played in the NHL last season, along with Columbus Blue Jackets forward Alexandre Texier and Arizona Coyotes forward Antoine Roussel. He’s one of 13 born in the country to play in the NHL in its history.

With hockey rarely in the spotlight in France, the NHL is exploring ways to change that. In fact, the European Player Media Tour might be the start of the League having more of a presence here.

“Part of the reason we decided to come to Paris was in part another short summer, and we’re asking our players to make a commitment to capture media content to promote the game,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said. “In making that request you want to pick a location in Europe that players want to spend time in and bring guests to. Part of it is about accommodating player interests, but do we have an interest in making hockey bigger in France generally? Of course, we do.

“That starts at the grassroots level, more participation in hockey.”

It could eventually lead an NHL game in Paris.

“Obviously a very mature, wealthy economy here in Paris,” Deputy Commissioner Daly said. “It would be great to bring teams over here at some point in the future and play a game. Probably a preseason game at first, but that’s certainly on the radar screen, although maybe a longer-term radar.”

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NHL returning to Europe with games in Czech Republic, Finland next season

Sharks, preds to meet in prague in october; avs, jackets head to tampere in november.

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The NHL is going back to Europe this fall for its first games outside of North America since the start of the pandemic.

The league on Thursday announced the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators will play two games in Prague in October and the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will play two games in Tampere, Finland, in November as part of the 2022 Global Series.

The Sharks and Predators will finish their respective training camps in Europe. San Jose also will play an exhibition game in Bern, Switzerland, against the Swiss league's SC Bern, while Nashville will go to Berlin to face Eisbären Berlin of Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

  • THE BUZZER What to watch in the final days of this long NHL season

Nashville was set to open the 2020-21 season in Prague against Boston before the pandemic scrapped the NHL's plans. This will be the franchise's European debut after playing two games in Saitama, Japan, in 2000.

The Sharks were a natural pick because of Czech star Tomas Hertl, who recently signed a $65.1 million, eight-year contract to remain in San Jose. Hertl is a native of Prague.

Colorado and Columbus will play in Tampere on Nov. 4 and 5 with each team featuring plenty of Finnish flavor. The Avalanche have Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen, while the Blue Jackets are managed by Jarmo Kekalainen and have star Finnish scorer Patrik Laine.

The NHL has so far staged 34 regular-season games outside North America in six different countries and eight cities. Tampere is set to be the ninth.

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The Real NHL Expansion Markets Are in Europe

For any professional sports league, growth is crucial. The NHL has shown that they know this by adding the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and the Seattle Kraken for the 2021-22 season. For the next expansion, the NHL needs to look bigger than North America. They need to look to Europe.

Related: Is NHL Expansion to Europe Still on the Radar?

This has been a topic of conversation for many years now and has no intentions of slowing down. In November of 2018 , deputy commissioner Bill Daly gave his stance on the idea of expanding into Europe, what can now be considered the official stance of the NHL.

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“I was asked whether we’ll ever have franchises overseas and I said, ‘Certainly not in the short- to medium-term,’ but I thought that with the continued growth of the sport, expansion of the sport, that franchises in Europe at some point in time is probably inevitable.”

The Real NHL Expansion Markets Are in Europe

But this wouldn’t be as straightforward as adding another North American team. There are many questions that arise when looking at a potential European expansion:

  • Which cities would get teams?
  • How would the scheduling work?
  • Would European fans support the teams?
  • Would the NHL talent be diluted?
  • Would both the NHL and NHLPA support the expansion?
  • When would the Europe expansion h appen ?

These all must be considered when thinking about growing the NHL across the Atlantic Ocean. It’s looking more and more likely that it will happen one day, which it should. So, let’s dive into each question.

Which Cities Would Get Teams?

There are so many cities that could be possibilities for getting an NHL team, some of which are already hockey towns. In order to make a European expansion viable, there would probably be around four or five teams needed. So, here are five serious options for getting the first NHL teams in Europe:

Stockholm, Sweden

Helsinki, finland, prague, czech republic, berlin, germany, zurich, switzerland.

There are many other places that may be considered, but these seven spots would be the easiest for the NHL to transition into. Either they are already a hockey hotspot, they have the population, or they have a rink that could maybe be expanded into an NHL-size rink. Most of these places have already had glimpses of the NHL in their cities. Some locations check off multiple boxes.

Sweden is already a hockey hotbed in Europe. The country is a perennial threat to win nearly every international tournament they’re in and they continuously produce top-end talent. As the capital of Sweden, Stockholm would be the best place for the NHL’s first wave of teams in Europe.

Sweden has already been exposed to the NHL’s presence for a number of years, ever since 1980 where the Washington Capitals and Minnesota North Stars entered a round robin tournament with AIK and Djurgårdens IF. The final game of the tournament was televised live in Sweden on “Hockey Night in Sweden.” Another memorable moment was Daniel and Henrik Sedin and the Vancouver Canucks playing against Djurgårdens, AIK and MoDo where then-rookie Daniel scored the tournament-winning goal in overtime.

Stockholm is already home to Djurgårdens IF of the top-tier Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and AIK IF, playing for the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. If the NHL expanded into Sweden, perhaps one of these teams becomes the NHL team. Alternatively, the SHL could act as the Swedish team’s AHL-equivalent team and the NHL club is an entirely new entity.

An aspect that holds Stockholm back from getting an NHL team, in fact, it holds all of the following locations back as well: an NHL-caliber arena. Currently, in the Swedish capital, the largest arena is the Ericsson Globe which holds a capacity of 13,850 for hockey games.

If there’s a city and country in Europe that’s equal to Stockholm, Sweden’s love for hockey, it’s Helsinki, Finland. Right up there with Sweden, Finland has been producing elite-NHL talent over the years and has risen to be one of the most prominent hockey superpowers in the world.

Just like Sweden, Finland has had its fair share of NHL exposure, dating back to 1994 when the Winnipeg Jets travelled to the country to play a pre-season tournament against Finnish teams. A young Teemu Selanne was a member of the Jets at the time and faced off against Jokerit as the main attraction of the event – his former club.

Teemu Selanne #13 of the Winnipeg Jets

Helsinki is already home to the HIFK of the Liiga hockey league and like the teams in Stockholm, this may help ease the city into getting an NHL team. The team currently plays at the Helsinki Ice Hall, which holds 8,200 people.

However, HIFK is not the only team in Helsinki. The KHL’s Jokerit plays at Hartwall Arena, which holds a maximum capacity of 13,349. If the NHL wanted to make an NHL teamwork, this could be the spot until somewhere bigger is ready.

The Czech Republic seems to be a major threat in international hockey tournaments every year. The country has produced some of the best players of all time and has a large hockey following.

The NHL has already exposed itself to the Czech Republic, ever since 1989 when the Stanley Cup-winning Calgary Flames held their training camp in Prague before meeting the Washington Capitals in the then-Soviet Union for a preseason tour. In 2010, Czech-born Radim Vrbata scored two goals and had an assist for the then-Phoenix Coyotes 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins in the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Games.

Extraliga is the top hockey league in the Czech Republic, with Sparta Praha the team that calls Prague home. The team has been operating since 1903, proving that a hockey club can be viable in the city and country. What makes Prague even more attractive to the NHL is where Sparta Praha plays: the O2 Arena.

The O2 Arena is likely the most NHL-ready arena in Europe, with a maximum capacity of 17,383. Cologne, Germany’s Lanxess Arena is the only one bigger in Europe, at 18,500. The O2 Arena has already housed two IIHF World Hockey Championships (2004 and 2015), along with NHL and KHL games.

Speaking of Germany, they should get one of the first NHL teams in Europe too. While they haven’t had as much success at international levels as the other countries on this list, they’ve been on the rise, winning a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Germany was actually one of the first countries that the NHL travelled to, dating way back to 1959 when the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers went on a 10-city, 23-game tour of Europe. While in Germany, they stopped in Dortmund, Essen, Krekfeld and Berlin. More recently, in the 2018 NHL Global Series, Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl, a native of Cologne, Germany, had an assist in a 4-3 Oilers win over Germany’s Kolner Haie. Draisaitl’s father Peter was the coach of Kolner Haie.

Leon Draisaitl Edmonton Oilers

Germany currently has Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) as it’s top-tier hockey league, with Eisbären Berlin playing in Berlin. The team is one of the founding members, establishing in 1954, and has won more title than any other DEL organization, with seven. The club also plays in a 14,200-capacity arena, the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

This arena is where the NHL Premiere games were played and would likely be the destination of an NHL team. Just like the previous cities mentioned, they could temporarily play here until a bigger location is ready or depending on how attendance looks for the European NHL, this could stick.

Finally, there’s Zurich, Switzerland. While not immediately thought of as a hockey superpower like the other countries on this list, there have been a number of Swiss stars coming from the country. They’ve even caused some major upsets at the Olympic level, beating Canada and the Czech Republic at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

In that NHL European tour that saw the Bruins and Rangers play in Germany, they also made stops in Switzerland, playing in Geneva and Zurich. The NHL has made numerous trips since then, including the 2018 NHL Global Series where the New Jersey Devils and Nico Hischier faced off against HC Bern of the National League. Hischier was the first Swiss-born player to be taken first overall in the NHL Entry Draft in 2017 and received a standing ovation playing against his former team.

Nico Hischier New Jersey Devils

The National League is the top league in Switzerland, with the ZSC Lions calling Zurich home. They’ve had a long residence there, as they were founded in 1930. They currently play in Hallenstadion which has a maximum capacity of 11,200, the smallest arena on this list. But, HC Bern, playing in Bern at the PostFinance Arena has a maximum capacity of 17,031. Bern may be the more attractive option for the NHL based on the arena.

Other Options

All of the options above are hockey towns, with current, successful hockey teams that have stood the test of time. Most of them have at least decent-sized arenas that would be enough to get the expansion started. Also important to note, the NHL has visited these cities and countries, making the league known to the hockey fans. While these may be the top contenders, there are many other cities in Europe that would get a look.

Moscow, Russia should be considered as well. Russia has always been a hockey superpower, why not see what an NHL team in Russia would be like? Think back to all of the Olympics, World Championships and tournaments between Russia and Canada or the United States, there’s no question of hockey fans in Russia. When Alex Ovechkin took the Stanley Cup to Moscow in 2018, he was met by thousands of fans. The biggest arena in Moscow is VTB Ice Palace, seating 12,100, although there is a proposal for a new 18,000-20 ,000 arena.

Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals

London, England should be considered. While you don’t exactly think of a hockey-town when thinking of London, there’s lots about the city to make it a viable option. In the first NHL trip overseas, in 1938, London was host to the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings. They also have the O2 Arena, one of the busiest arenas in the world with a capacity of 20,000. It doesn’t hurt that London has already had a hockey team already in the London Lions . In fact, they were founded by Detroit Red Wings owner at the time Bruce Norris with a vision of creating a league affiliated with the NHL in Europe.

Other cities include Vienna, Austria, Oslo Norway, Riga, Latvia, Minsk, Belarus and Bratislava, Slovakia. These cities may not be a part of the first wave of expanding team but could very well be a part of a second expansion.

How Would the Scheduling W ork ?

With that, we have our European teams. Now, how would scheduling work? Obviously, you can’t just plug these teams into the schedule as you would a new team in North America. The schedule would be a bit more difficult, but possible. As it is now, every NHL team goes on a long road trip on the other side of North America, so that’d be nothing new. A flight from New York to Los Angeles takes roughly six hours. In comparison, a flight from New York to Helsinki take about eight hours, so the difference is negligible.

Gary Bettman

First, the European teams would form a third conference, so you would have the Western, Eastern and European conferences. This, of course, would depend on how many European teams there would be and if the NHL is set on all teams playing each other at least twice still. For argument’s sake, let’s say there will be four European teams. The game distribution would then look like this:

  • Each European team would play each other a total of four times, adding up to (4 teams, 6 games versus each) 18 games
  • Each European team would play each Eastern Conference and Western Conference team twice (home and home) adding up to (32×2) 64 games, and rounding out the 82-game regular-season schedule

This would result in each European team making one trip to North American per season and vice-versa. As for playoffs, the top three teams from each division (Metropolitan, Atlantic, Central, Pacific and European) would automatically qualify. The last spot would be a Wild Card, reserved for the top finisher among the non-automatic qualifiers.

Would European Fans Support the Teams?

In European locations where hockey is already a popular sport, like Sweden and Finland, there’s no question that fans would show up to games. These cities already have a proven track record of people showing up to games, whether that’s their current European teams, or an NHL event.

In the 2018-19 season, Stockholm’s Djurgårdens IF has an average attendance of 7,355 and that’s the second-best in the league. Gothenberg’s Frolunda HC has the best with 10,071 and has a record-high average of 11,688 from 2007-08. In Helsinki, HIFK averages an attendance of 4,727 and Jokerit holds an average of 8,768 in 2018-19, with a record of 10,932 in 2014-15. Eisbären Berlin averaged 12,026 in 2018-19 but has a record-high of 14,073 from back in 2011-12. Bern SC has brought in over 15,000 fans on average for 12 straight seasons, with the last six over 16,000.

Welcome home, @PatrikLaine29 and @Barkovsasha95 . 💙🙌 #NHLGlobalSeries https://t.co/LMGn7mWJnt — NHL (@NHL) November 2, 2018

To compare, the NHL’s average attendance in 2018-19 was 17,447, with seven teams bringing in less than Bern SC brings in. With the European teams already attracting fans, it seems likely that an NHL team would bring in fans. If fact, it’s already proven that it can pull in European fans to NHL games.

As of April 2019, the NHL had played 29 regular-season games to date at venues outside North America. The total attendance at those games is 386,818, or an average of 13,339 per game.

“Our return to playing regular-season games in Europe these past seasons has been a fantastic success,” Commissioner Bettman said. “We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Would the NHL Talent Be Diluted?

Another concern for European expansion would be if the talent in the NHL would be diluted if more teams were added. This one is a bit harder to get around, because it makes sense that if you add teams, players from the current 31 (and soon to be 32) teams would need to go to the European teams. That’s a given.

At first, the talent may very well be diluted. That being said, there are so many stars in the NHL right now, that every team will likely have at least one still, in most cases more. As the European teams gain traction in their countries, the game of hockey will grow as well, bringing in a whole new wave of NHL stars. There are leagues in all of these countries, and the surrounding countries have additional teams. There are star players in the world not playing in the NHL. Perhaps European teams would give those players a chance to play in the best league in the world.

Related: Chinese Hockey Expanding at an Astonishing Rate

The growth of the NHL and hockey, in general, can only be a good thing for the League and its fans.

Would Both the NHL and NHLPA Support the E xpansion ?

In order for this expansion to happen at all, both the NHL and NHLPA need to be on board. Luckily, they already are, making this the easiest question on the list. Well, Daly and NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr are on the same page at least.

Gary Bettman, Donald Fehr

In November of 2018, Fehr, who has discussed this topic numerous times in his tenure, discussed the future expansion. (from ‘NHL eyes European expansion, the only question is when,’ Globe and Mail, 11/12/2018) He did point out that the players have not formed an official opinion, so his answers were him personal opinion.

“I think it would be a real positive statement to create the first really trans-ocean league. I think it would be an extraordinary achievement for everybody. Whether it will happen in my tenure remains to be seen, but hopefully sooner or later.”

He continued, “I think the sooner the better, provided it can be done right, you don’t want to rush it … you don’t want to do it before the capital is committed, the schedule is worked out, all the rest of it.”

Daly also discussed the expansion, noting that it would be a long-term goal, “Those are short-term barriers and we’ll see if they can change in the long-term. The KHL has expanded into countries outside of Russia where they have absorbed existing teams from European leagues. They’ve done it without real damage to those existing leagues.

Bill Daly: NHL teams in Europe 'almost inevitable'. https://t.co/XEb4IsWNhm pic.twitter.com/yeOmC4RLtb — theScore (@theScore) November 9, 2018

“I think we have a very good relationship with all the European leagues. When we bring games over there, we do it in concert with the existing leagues and federations.

“Our international fan-base is really growing because of our [television] rights-holders in Europe and how much NHL hockey is being consumed there,” Daly said. “It’s been enormously successful a month and a half into the season. Television and the ability to translate your game to new audiences is very, very important.”

While the NHL and NHLPA seem to be in agreeance, there are some other parties that might not be on board with the NHL’s plans. Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), has indicated that he is opposed to this proposed expansion as he feels it poses a threat to European professional hockey teams.

“This is our territory and I will fight like hell to not allow anybody to come from abroad,” Fasel said. “I think in Europe we are strong enough to do something on our own, and then have the competition between Europe and North America. That makes the fan happy.”

Rene Fasel IIHF

The KHL, which has expanded from Russia into the surrounding countries, including European ones on the list above, would also likely oppose the expansion as it may steal some of their fans. The same goes for the national leagues in each country. The NHL would need to work with all of these groups in order to make the expansion work, which as Daly said, they are willing to do.

When Would the Europe Expansion Happen?

Finally, the biggest question. When would this happen? When this topic arose in 2008, many thought that it could happen within ten years. It’s been longer than that, and it still looks to be a long way off for the NHL. It would be at least another decade before there’s an NHL team in Europe, likely longer.

In the meantime, the best thing the NHL can do is continue the NHL Global Series games. Up to this point, they’ve been selecting teams that have a star player in that country, which is working as seen in the Tweet from the NHL above, and they should continue to do that. Also sending the best teams over, regardless of where their players are from.

Growing the NHL brand and building fans is the current priority on the path to putting NHL teams in Europe. More NHL games, events, television deals, it’s all preparation for the future of the league.

Attendance averages from HockeyDB .

14 thoughts on “The Real NHL Expansion Markets Are in Europe”

Europe would be a terrible mistake. To much territory to cover & its a logistical nightmare. The travel would be unfair for those teams in Europe. Either they would travel back-and-forth too frequently and would be exhausted, or they would be forced to have very long road trips without a home game….. It’s a lose/lose: you either get a tired team or an unfair schedule. Have to focus on northern locations here in North America

MAP: dead link

MAP: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3949/15743741715_842206b3f2_o.jpg

I’m all for expansion and teams in Europe but why does everyone always want to relocate my Panthers. It’s bad enough that after I moved to Atlanta the Thrashers left but come on. Still a Panthers fan.

The only way this flies is for the European league to come into being at least twice as large split into two conferences with no intercontinental play until the playoffs begin. The west coast teams would always be at a disadvantage as would the European teams traveling to the west coast, as the time frame would always be twice as long as for the east coast teams. Even if they played in the east before continuing on the trip. The travel now is atrocious for the west coast teams, and this would just be ridiculous. The wear and tear on the body with all this travel would only result in far more injuries. Go sit in the seat of a semi truck for 6 mo. 14hrs. a day and you will soon see the fallacy of your dreams. The Season now is 8-9 mo., so the math only works for the fat cat owners who only care about the money and not the players. When you can replace body parts like tinker toys, maybe. But even the cost of that will rise and become astronomical in the future. And I see nothing wrong with building the game here, even with the cost of low performing franchises. No one told these billionaires it would be cheap. Put a good product on the market at an affordable price and the fans will come. Even a bad team in a good market does not pan out. Hockey is growing all the time and even those football hotbeds are starting to get the message that hockey is more exciting and entertaining than football or basketball. And the players are friendlier and more accessible to the fans as well. Though this might change as the fans keep getting more pushy and demanding.

Thanks for the read and taking the time to respond.

I agree that long-distance travel takes its toll, but this is nothing new for other professionals who work for international businesses. We live in a globalized world so that means sometimes travelling quite a bit to be successful.

For Western Conference teams, it is true they’d be flying an additional three hours when going to Europe, but new technological advances continue to shrink the world. Just check out these concept planes designed by Nike for athletes: http://www.wired.com/2014/09/nike-helps-design-a-swank-jet-for-traveling-sports-teams/#slide-id-1520051

If the NHL did expand to Europe, it would certainly have to invest some money into its travelling procedures, but there are exciting new developments on that front the NHL can make use of.

Was very skeptical before reading this, but it was well backed in reason. Although a new york flight to europe isnt much longer than new york to los angeles, what about San Jose to Europe? Perhaps west coast teams would always have to travel to europe after playing a bit on the east coast, but that seems like it would be hard to schedule, but im no genius schedule maker, so maybe its feasible?

Thanks for the read! Yes, it’s a bit of radical idea in some peoples’ view, but the biggest things have been accomplished simply by beginning with a vision.

A flight from Los Angeles to Stockholm is about 11 hours. This would be a bit of an obstacle, but as I’ve said international business travel is nothing new now that we work in a globalized economy. At least athlete have the advantage of traveling in more comfort than the average person. Check out what Nike is coming up with: https://www.yahoo.com/travel/just-fly-it-nike-unveils-high-tech-team-plane-for-pro-97225472542.html

As technology develops, the world continues to shrink. If such an expansion plan took place, it would be in the best interest of the league and individual teams to invest in new flying technology.

As far as scheduling, teams would have one and a half to two week long trans-Atlantic road trips, in order to cut down on travel.

I first read an article on this topic in 1979 and it is always fun to discuss. The Concord was always in the discussion… Logistical issues could be overcome if the desire to make this happen is that great. A war with the IIHF would occur. The IIHF would be a speed bump and would remain almost irrelevant. KHL/NHL relations would need to thaw. The KHL is already going after European markets. If it doesn’t make dollars then it doesn’t make sense. The bottom line is the bottom line here. Key questions involve ticket pricing in nations with high individual tax rates. Corporate taxes would be doable. Stadium/arena size is a major hurdle when cities will not bow to the whim of an owner like they do in North America. As advanced as corporate sponsorship is in Europe, this remains a ticket revenue driven sport! Heck Sweden is the population size of Virginia if I recall, so National TV deals won’t yield much. I would kill for a relegation type set up. Now that’s a pipe dream! Fun thought.

Thanks for the read and the constructive comment. I agree the IIHF would be a non-issue – it doesn’t yield enough power and the NHL has its own agenda by re-establishing the World Cup of hockey. I also think the KHL wouldn’t be much of a concern, given its instability.

I really believe ticket sales wouldn’t be an issue. Just look at the European Premiere series. In 2011, I purchased a ticket with a face value of 149 EUR, and Berlin isn’t exactly the most economically well off city. Even still the arena was packed to capacity. Now, I know it be less of a premium product with teams always playing in Europe, but tickets would also be a lot more affordable and adjusted to fit the local market. For instance, tickets in Bratislava would be much cheaper than Zurich. These six locations would open up three core European markets – DACH, the Nordics and CEE, so I believe there would be a lot of room for revenue growth, especially in comparison to the failing NHL franchises that would be replaced.

I agree! I’d love to see relegation. We can dream!

Agree with Jeff above I can not see this happening. Do you guys really think players say in Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Jose etc. are really going to want to jump on a plane and have to fly 14 or so hours to say Stockholm Sweden to play a road game? And then have to turn around and be totally jet lagged dead tired and have to fly all the way back and play two nights later? Do you realize how long it takes for one to recover time wise both physically and mentally?!?! Heck, we are even hearing many NFL players quietly complain about their stupid London experiment. Many Cincinnati Bengal players were openly saying that ‘god forbid, I hope we are not chosen to go play in London this season’. Forget about it! Keep it in North America where it belongs. Unsure about Las Vegas. The league should perhaps do a game there to see how well it would draw attendance wise? They do their NHL all star awards there. Perhaps they should consider doing the leagues all star game there first to see what the attendance would be. No one ever mentions Portland Oregon. They only have a NBA team. The Winterhawks are very well supported and there is an arena in place there that they could share with the Trailblazers. As well they are in the west so realignment isn’t a worry. I’d go there before considering Seattle. Good luck to everyone’s teams this upcoming NHL season.

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for the read and the thoughtful response. You bring up a good point with the NFL players. However, the biggest difference between the NHL and NFL is the former has a much larger pool of international talent. I believe about 30% of NHL players come from outside of North America. For these players (many of them from the would be European NHL markets), it’d be a welcomed treat to be able either play in their home country or at least travel to it every season. I think the NHLPA would give this more support than say, the NFLPA.

Like I told Jeff, international travel is something every global business deals with. The NHL players are no different than any other professionals working in an international business, so long-distance travel should be expected.

I agree with you on North American expansion. Las Vegas is a huge question mark, but Portland seems like a viable option. In addition to the points you made, it just seems like a region fit for hockey.

Enjoy the upcoming season!

Not a very good article.

You really think the differencd between a flight from NY to LA and (3 time zones) and a flight from NY to Sweden (6 time zones) is negligible with only 2 hours of extra flying time? Really? And with 82 games a year? And what about western teams, that’s an 11 hour flight and 9 time zones.

The other, and most important factor that you never even mentioned is the IIHF and the individual leagues who would never, under any circumstances allow this happen. The IIHF has actually stated they would never allow nhl expansion in Europe, so this a pipe dream with 0% chance of becoming really.

Thanks for taking the time to read and contribute. It’s always great to generate a discussion.

I agree that there would be some obstacles to overcome with travel, but teams wouldn’t be flying back and forth for one or two games. They’d have European road trips that would last at least a week and a half to limit the amount of times a cross-Atlantic trip would occur. I know that the time zone differences are less than ideal but, we live in a globalized world and these are hurdles any international company has to endure, so it’s nothing new from a business perspective.

I respect your point about the IIHF, but I believe it is nearly irrelevant outside of Europe. It’s not as if the NHL and IIHF are bosom buddies as it is. The NHL has its own agenda with wanting to pull out of the Olympics and re-establish the World Cup of Hockey. Having an international footprint would only strengthen the cause.

Again, thanks for the insightful comment. It the very least, it’s fun to talk about these topics.

Comments are closed.

The NHL's wacky 23-game Eurotrip catapulted players to superstardom

The NHL is in Sweden this week, and fans of the Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Senators, and Wild can't be faulted for fearing they'll arrive home weary. Flying overseas during the season is a fun novelty, but it disrupts a team's rhythm.

The four-game jaunt faintly resembles the NHL's most elaborate Eurotrip. In the spring of 1959, the Bruins and Rangers faced off 23 times in 26 days in 10 European cities. The Original Six rivals experimented with an orange puck as Bobby Hull began his ascent to superstardom.

Chicago loaned Hull to New York for the grueling exhibition series. To conserve energy for sightseeing, he deliberately put in less effort on the ice. Hull coasted to the slot to focus on burying passes, signaling how he'd snipe 913 goals between the NHL and World Hockey Association.

"Boy, it was suddenly a whole new ballgame. I was lasting a lot longer on each shift and the goals started to go in like clockwork," Hull told the Toronto Star late in his career. "I pinpoint that European tour as the turning point in my life as a hockey player."

On this day in 1959, the Bruins and Rangers began a 23-game exhibition tour of Europe, playing games in England, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Germany and Austria #Hockey365 #NHLBruins #NYR pic.twitter.com/PbbrS8nkdC — Mike Commito (@mikecommito) April 29, 2021

This weekend's finale in Sweden will be the 42nd NHL game played abroad, be it in Europe or Japan, since 1997. Preseason visits to Australia, China, and Puerto Rico have gotten people talking about the league in distant markets.

At the time, one precedent existed for the Bruins-Rangers odyssey. The Canadiens and Red Wings met in nine offseason matchups in England and France in 1938. Games were paused intermittently so that Detroit coach Jack Adams could explain the rules to the crowd. The squads combined to pot 96 goals but threw disappointingly few hits, as an expat in London reported in a letter to the Montreal Gazette:

Neither Canadiens nor Detroit tried too hard and that reflected on their showing as a whole. The English are pretty hard to fool, even about things they know little of. I think the biggest disappointment for the press and public alike was the lack of body-checking … Over here the press has made everybody believe NHL hockey is murderously rough, and there was nothing in the Earls Court show to support that idea.

In 1959, the Habs rejected a Swiss sports goods dealer's invitation to return to Europe for a month. The dealer, retired hockey pro Othmar Delnon, was undeterred. Through a New York intermediary, he convinced brothers from the legendary Patrick family - Muzz, general manager of the Rangers, and Lynn, GM of the Bruins - to barnstorm the continent following the Stanley Cup Final, which neither team reached.

The point of the series was to make money. Players earned $1,000 and a Swiss winemaker covered their expenses. Bruins forward Johnny Bucyk and head coach Milt Schmidt were among the Hall of Famers showcased to fans in six countries. Notable Rangers included goalie Gump Worsley, a future Vezina Trophy winner, and rugged defenseman Lou Fontinato, whose nose was broken that season in an epic fight with Gordie Howe.

Forbidden by NHL rules from traveling together, the teams flew to London separately to open the series. They traded close wins before Bucyk's hat trick in the fourth game fueled Boston's emphatic 12-4 triumph in Geneva.

"For the losers," United Press International reported, "the best performances were turned in by three members of the Chicago Black Hawks: Pierre Pilote, Eric Nesterenko, and Bobby Hull."

The Rangers recruited those ringers, plus Chicago captain Ed Litzenberger, to fill holes in the lineup. Hall of Fame forward Andy Bathgate, winner of the Hart Trophy in 1959, skipped the trip because his wife had just given birth. Howe agreed to replace Bathgate if the Red Wings granted permission, but he ultimately bailed because of a rib injury.

That allowed Hull, an 18-goal scorer that season at 20 years old, to tag along and dominate. Europe is where his confidence soared. Hull netted or set up dozens of goals alongside Litzenberger, an adept passer and finisher, and Rangers agitator Eddie Shack, the line's puck retriever.

Hull also saw the sights, climbing the Eiffel Tower on foot one afternoon in Paris.

"I didn't have too much in the way of legs that night," he told the Star. "I guess I only got two or three goals."

nhl european tour

The competitive series - New York went 11-9-3 and outscored Boston 104-101 - was violent at the outset. Bruins center Bronco Horvath threatened to fly home in the first week, citing fatigue from the season and annoyance at the Rangers' headhunting. Bruins captain Fernie Flaman sat down with Rangers counterpart Red Sullivan to defuse the tension, Horvath said in NHL.com 's 2009 retrospective of the trip.

The relentless schedule took a toll. Off days - there were three in total - were dedicated to traveling long distances. Certain performances were lethargic, and others drew small crowds. Ticket prices, unfamiliarity with the sport, and the warm spring weather were blamed for poor turnouts of 700 people in Paris and 500 apiece in Antwerp and West Berlin.

"Maybe They Don't Like Hockey," surmised an Edmonton Journal headline following the games in Belgium.

"The hockey tour has been laying an egg of monstrous proportions," famed sportswriter Red Fisher opined in the Montreal Star. "The Rangers and Bruins are strangers to Europeans, and with nobody to root for, apathy sets in."

Other observers came away impressed. Geneva's arena welcomed 18,000 spectators over two nights. Foreign reporters praised the precise passes, slick stickhandling, and timely defensive interventions the NHLers exhibited. France's L'Equipe newspaper remarked, "It's been a long time since we saw such virtuosos on ice."

"The Russians would be chased out of the rink by these ice hockey players," Austrian journalist Walter Schwarz wrote in a dispatch for the Associated Press. "As concerns speed, lightning-fast reaction, body control, and sheer physical power, the North American professionals have no equals."

Multiple winning streaks - first in Games 8-10 in Antwerp and Zurich, then in Games 15-17 in Essen and Krefeld - enlarged New York's series lead. In the clincher, Hull scored in the opening minute of the first and second periods as the Rangers won 3-2 in Berlin. Shack tallied twice in the spirited 4-4 tie at Vienna that closed the tour.

"Several players received major penalties for fighting in Sunday's rough match," the AP reported, "but all was serene afterward as Red Sullivan of the Rangers received a big cup for his team's series victory."

The scene was significant for a few reasons. Czechoslovak players crossed the Iron Curtain to watch the finale in Vienna, foreshadowing that the NHL would internationalize late in the Cold War.

The series was a graceful sendoff for Hall of Fame official Red Storey, who refereed all 23 games. Storey resigned from the NHL weeks before the Eurotrip, stung when league president Clarence Campbell slammed him in the press for missing calls during the playoffs.

"Can't understand the fans over here," Storey wrote in a postcard from Paris to the Toronto Star. "They even appreciate the officials."

nhl european tour

The trip deterred Campbell from making a radical rule change. The Bruins and Rangers packed 288 pucks that had a bright orange side, agreeing to test the designer's hunch that they'd be easier for fans and goalies to track.

"We paid all that excess weight charges on those dizzy things and they were a pure flop," Muzz Patrick told reporters after the series, per the Detroit Free Press. "The players said they couldn't see the puck and wouldn't use them after the first try. They would be good only on black ice. European teams are going to use them, however, because we gave them away free."

The Black Hawks ringers sparkled when NHL play resumed. Hull edged Horvath by a point to win the 1960 scoring title. He teamed with Pilote - a budding three-time Norris Trophy winner - and Stan Mikita to lead Chicago to the Stanley Cup in 1961. Litzenberger and Nesterenko also helped deliver the franchise's only championship of the Original Six era.

In retirement, players retained fond memories of European restaurants. They ate palm-sized steaks at an upscale London hotel, Pilote marveled in his 2013 autobiography. Waiters laughed at Rangers coach Phil Watson, a Montreal native, when he bungled Parisian pronunciations of French words while trying to get a beer, Schmidt recalled in the NHL.com retrospective.

The only gripes about the Eurotrip were minor, Sullivan told the Canadian Press when the journey ended. Some players got stomach aches from overindulging at meals. Rushing to the next game minimized their time in each country.

"But what we saw was pleasant. Girls are pretty and have good figures, the food was good, and the crowds were friendly," Sullivan said. "They have one thing in common: They like to see something for their money. And believe me, our games were no picnic."

Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.

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Report: Pelley to leave European tour for Maple Leaf Sports group

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg (29) protects the puck from San Jose Sharks defenseman Kyle Burroughs (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg (29) protects the puck from San Jose Sharks defenseman Kyle Burroughs (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

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TORONTO (AP) — Keith Pelley is resigning as CEO of the European tour to lead powerhouse Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, The Sports Network in Canada reported Tuesday.

TSN said Pelley, who was president of Rogers Media before leaving in 2015 to lead European golf, has reached an agreement to oversee one of North America’s largest sports and entertainment groups.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has assets in four of the six major sports leagues on the continent, with primary holdings of the Toronto Maples Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.

The move would come at a critical time in golf. The European tour is part of the June 6 agreement with the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf to form a commercial company that could reshape how golf is run.

The deadline to finalize the deal was Dec. 31, although all sides have continued negotiations.

The European tour did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The tour is in Dubai this week to resume its season.

Pelley negotiated a $5 billion rights contract to the NHL for Rogers Media before leaving in 2015 to take over the European tour. He brought creativity, beyond his blue-framed glasses to a tour that didn’t have nearly the resources of the PGA Tour.

Byeong Hun An, of South Korea, tosses his ball to his caddie on the first green during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament, Friday, March 8, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

He struck a deal with Dubai-based DP World in 2021 to rename the circuit to the DP World Tour. He introduced one tournament used a shot clock, another involving six-hole competitions. Neither stuck, but there was a willingness to try to modernize golf.

Pelley also chose to align the European tour with the PGA Tour in a strategic alliance that now includes co-sanctioned events for both members, the Scottish Open in the UK and two tournaments on the PGA Tour held opposite stronger events.

Ten leading players from the European tour’s Race to Dubai earned PGA Tour cards this year through part of that alliance.

TSN said Pelley’s hiring could be announced as early as Thursday, citing three sources familiar with the hiring.

He would succeed Michael Friisdahl, who was MLSE’s president and CEO from 2015 until 2022. The chief financial officer, Cynthia Devine, has been acting CEO.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

nhl european tour

NHL

Elias Pettersson on Canucks extension talks: ‘I’ve wanted to just focus on the season’

VANCOUVER, CANADA - FEBRUARY 25: Elias Pettersson #40 of the Vancouver Canucks waits for a face-off during the first period of their NHL game against the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena on February 25, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)

Vancouver Canucks star centre Elias Pettersson attended the NHL European Player Media Tour in Sweden this week and explained at length in conversations with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and The Athletic ’s Mike Russo why he’s decided to slow play extension talks in favour of focusing on his training this summer.

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“I’ve wanted to just focus on the season and focus on this summer, to have a good summer of training,” Pettersson told Russo in Sweden on Wednesday morning. “So the contract talks I’ve been wanting to put a hold on for now.”

Pettersson is entering the final season of the three-year bridge contract that he signed in the fall of 2021 after missing training camp. He became extension eligible on July 1.

While extending Pettersson is the most important big-picture line item facing the club this summer , it’s worth noting there’s no pressing time crunch — Pettersson will only be a restricted free agent following the expiry of the contract, still one year out from unrestricted free agency.

Nonetheless, Pettersson’s commentary will get a lot of play in Vancouver, as it should. Getting Pettersson locked up has been a key organizational priority — and some source of internal preoccupation — dating back to last winter.

Back in the late spring, Pettersson’s representatives expressed some optimism that a deal would be worked on in the summer. Progress, however, has been slow and that’s been at Pettersson’s direction, to hear Pettersson tell it anyway.

“We’ll keep talking but Pat (Brisson) is doing that talking,” Pettersson said. “He knows my situation and obviously it’s a big topic, but he just wants me to focus on — and I just want to focus on — the hockey part.”

Usually when we’re assessing the way NHL -level player personnel negotiations sometimes play out in the public eye, we tend to regard artificial deadlines or publicly revealed moments of stalemate — “we’re just focusing on the season” or “his agent has told the team he won’t discuss an extension during the season” are two common examples — with cynicism. Lines delivered by players and their representatives to juke the negotiation one way or the other.

It’s tempting to fit these comments into that familiar box, but Pettersson is a singular person. If any NHL player was going to delay a negotiation primarily for the purposes of keeping a clear head during summer training, it might just be him.

Asked about the presumably over-the-top reaction Canucks fans (and media) were sure to have to his revelation that talks have been on hold this summer, Pettersson reiterated his affection for the madcap Vancouver market and the intensity of the fan support on Canada’s West Coast.

“Of course it’s a passionate fan base, they bleed hockey out there,” Pettersson said.

“Passionate media too,” Russo joked in reply.

“Passionate media too,” Pettersson agreed, laughing. “They try to find everything out. But I like it that way. I like the overall hockey interest. Obviously, they want the answers, but the answer is that I’m preparing to be in the best shape I can for the season and I’m excited.”

It’s also worth unpacking some of the unique dynamics undergirding Pettersson extension talks. In calibrating the length and size of Pettersson’s next deal, both sides will have to weigh the prospect of a salary cap that is going to stay flat for the 2023-24 campaign, but is widely expected to rise a bit the next season and then potentially rise significantly thereafter.

An agreement on a long-term extension made today could easily be out of date by the second season of the contract, relative to where the market may be headed.

Additionally, Pettersson is coming off of a nearly 40-goal campaign in which he also hit 100 points and received serious consideration for the Selke Trophy from the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association. Pettersson’s star-level performances make him a valuable commodity, obviously, but it’s one thing to have hit those heights from the perspective of negotiating leverage and it’s another to have done it twice. Do it twice in a row and you’re negotiating with the promise of consistent, superstar-level production, which is a different thing entirely.

All of this dances around the big question and consternation that simmers in the background in conversations about Pettersson and his contractual future in Vancouver. Canucks fans have been watching closely as situations in Calgary and Winnipeg have played out with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Matthew Tkachuk (among others), who have exercised their leverage as restricted free agents to steer themselves out of Canada and to American-based contenders.

It goes without saying that having a successful, positive season from a team perspective would go a long way toward appealing to a competitive, top-level player considering a long-term (or medium-term) contract extension with the Canucks, but there’s little cause to leap to that sort of conclusion based off of where we sit today and Pettersson’s commentary at the European Player Media Tour.

The fact is, due to completely innocuous structural factors outside the direct control of either party, one can understand why Pettersson and his camp would prefer to be patient this summer.

— The Athletic’s Michael Russo contributed to this report

(Photo: Derek Cain / Getty Images)

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Thomas Drance

Thomas Drance covers the Vancouver Canucks as a senior writer for The Athletic. He is also the co-host of the Canucks Hour on Sportsnet 650. His career in hockey media — as a journalist, editor and author — has included stops at Canucks Army, The Score, Triumph Publishing, the Nation Network and Sportsnet. Previously, he was vice president, public relations and communications, for the Florida Panthers for three seasons. Follow Thomas on Twitter @ ThomasDrance

EURO 2024 Trophy Tour kicks off in Stuttgart

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Article summary

The UEFA EURO 2024 Trophy Tour started in Stuttgart this week, with fans getting the opportunity to see the Henri Delaunay Cup up close as it made its way through the city alongside several special guests.

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nhl european tour

"That's what makes it so special."

The procession ended at Schlossplatz, where Lahm – who spent two seasons at Stuttgart – and Šašić handed the trophy over to Cacau and Stuttgart mayor Frank Nopper in front of the historic Neues Schloss. Also in attendance were three-time Olympic gymnast and Host City ambassador Elisabeth Seitz, and Deputy Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Thomas Strobl.

(L-R) Célia Sasic, Vice-President of DFB, Frank Nopper, Mayor of Stuttgart, Cacau and Philipp Lahm, Tournament Director.

On Saturday, the event is moving to the Königsbau Passagen, where supporters can view and take photos with the cup throughout the day.

Stuttgart is set to host four group-stage matches at UEFA EURO 2024, including Germany v Hungary in Group A, and will make ‘the whole city a stadium’ during UEFA EURO 2024, with four fan zones featuring a range of entertainment and activities.

Trophy Tour continues its journey

nhl european tour

Trophy Tour dates announced

The biggest prize in 2024

The biggest prize in 2024

Albärt and trophy go Stateside

Albärt and trophy go Stateside

EURO 2024 host cities: Stuttgart

EURO 2024 host cities: Stuttgart

IMAGES

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  5. Nhl Media Tour Photos and Premium High Res Pictures

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  6. NHL Global Fan Tour kehrt nach Europa zurück

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