NHL returns to the Avicii Arena
The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced its return to the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. On 14th and 16th November, the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will play two regular-season games in Sweden.
The Avicii Arena in Stockholm, which officially reopened in February, last hosted four NHL games in 2023. After the league recently announced the venues for the Stadium Series and the Winter Classic in 2026, the announcement of the return to the Swedish capital has now followed.
During the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden the Pittsburgh Penguins return to Stockholm to face the Nashville Predators. The games will take place at Avicii Arena on 14th and 16th November. This will be the 15th NHL season to include regular-season games outside North America. The event marks the league's return to Sweden and is said to be a cornerstone of the NHL's continued international focus following the global success of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The successful replacement of the NHL All-Star Game with a national competition (“4 Nations Face-Off“) brings the NHL’s international ambitions back into focus. Not only will the International Games be expanded, but the league also plans to establish its own World Championship.
The Penguins, led by their long-time captain Sidney Crosby, are playing abroad for the first time since 2008. Back then, they took on the Ottawa Senators in the NHL Premiere Series at the Avicii Arena - then known as the Stockholm Globe Arena. The Predators will be making their first trip to Stockholm and third overseas. They played the Sharks in the 2022 Global Series at O2 Arena in Prague and the Penguins at the GAME One Japan series in 2000 at Saitama Super Arena.
Sweden is one of the most important global markets to the League, accounting for the highest representation of players of any country outside North America – 9.7 percent of NHL players this season were born in Sweden. Since 1997, the NHL has staged 46 regular-season games at venues outside North America. The 2025 NHL Global Series will be the 47th and 48th regular-season games played overseas.
Stockholm has hosted the most NHL regular-season games of any city, with next season raising the total to 18 games. The 2025 NHL Global Series will be the first NHL games at Avicii Arena since it reopened last month. (stadiaworld, 20.03.2025)
