NHL Global Series heading to Sweden

Image: Avicii Arena (Facebook)

The National Hockey League (NHL) is returning to Stockholm in November this year for the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden.

NHL.com said the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will play two regular-season games at the Avicii Arena on November 14 and 16, 2025.

The 2025 NHL Global Series continues the international success following the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Penguins will be playing in Europe for the first time in 17 years, while the Predators will play their third game outside North America and make their first visit to Sweden.

The Avicii Arena was opened in May 2021 through a collaboration between the Tim Bergling Foundation, Trygg-Hansa, BAUHAUS, and ASM Global.

The historic 15,000-capacity venue was intended to become “a hub for sharing ideas and hosting activities with the focus on young peoples’ mental health,” according to Klas Bergling, father of the late producer and recording artist Tim Bergling, known worldwide by his stage name Avicii.

Sweden is one of the NHL’s most important global markets and has the largest representation of players from any country outside North America (9.7% of NHL players this season are from Sweden).

Since 1997, the NHL has hosted 46 regular-season games in arenas outside North America. The 2025 NHL Global Series will be the 47th and 48th regular-season games played overseas.

Stockholm has hosted more NHL regular-season games than any other city outside North America, and with next season’s two games, the total number will reach 18.

The 2025 NHL Global Series will mark the first NHL games at the Avicii Arena since its reopening last month following a year of extensive renovations.

Sweden was one of the four countries represented by NHL players in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the star-studded tournament held last month.

The nine-day event, also featuring Canada, Finland, and the USA, broke viewership records across North America and beyond, filled arenas in host cities Montreal and Boston, and surpassed the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in merchandise sales and sponsorship revenue.

Pittsburgh has three Sweden-born players on its roster: defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Rickard Rakell and Emil Bemstrom. Karlsson and Rakell represented Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off last month.

Rakell, a native of Sundbyberg, Sweden, said, “I think it becomes a big thing for us. I think [it’s special] just to have a chance to play in your home country or play in front of, like, your youth team or old coaches that you had growing up. For you to have a chance to have family or friends come and see you and your teammates play, I think it’s a pretty special thing.”

Karlsson, 34, is legendary in Sweden. He was named the best defenseman in the 2014 Sochi Olympics when Sweden took home the silver medal.

He also became the second Sweden-born player to win the Norris Trophy when he was voted best defenseman in the NHL for the first of three times in 2011-12 while with the Senators. He also won in 2014-15 (Senators) and 2022-23 (San Jose Sharks).

Karlsson told the Penguins website, “It’s obviously a great experience. Everyone that hasn’t been there before, they played with a lot of guys that are from there. You hear a lot of things about a lot of various foods and different things. So, it’s fun for everyone to experience.

“Obviously, for us, it’s nice because you have a lot of friends and family there, and at the same time, it’s nice to be able to show your teammates your home country, and maybe put a picture to some of the things you talk about a lot and they’re asking you about.”

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

• Tags »
• global series
• National Hockey League

« Previous News: ‘A’s’ ‘robust’ start at Sutter Health Park
» Next News: SportsTown vision skirting Boundary Park