NEW YORK \/ TORONTO \/ D\u00dcSSELDORF, GERMANY\u00a0(March 13, 2026)\u00a0\u2013 The\u00a0National Hockey League Players\u2019 Association (NHLPA) and\u00a0National Hockey League (NHL) today announced\u00a0details oftheir joint long-term international growth strategy\u00a0to deepen the NHL\u00a0and NHL\u00a0players\u2019\u00a0established\u00a0and future\u00a0presence in\u00a0Germany. Key components of the plan\u00a0include strategic\u00a0investment in growing the game through grassroots, content and other\u00a0fan engagement\u00a0initiatives\u00a0across Germany,\u00a0forging new,long-term\u00a0business partnerships\u00a0and\u00a0making\u00a0a commitment to\u00a0bringing\u00a0more\u00a0NHL\u00a0Regular\u00a0Season gamesto Germany, beginning with\u00a0the\u00a02026 NHL Global Series Germany,\u00a0a pair of\u00a0games\u00a0between the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks at PSD Bank Dome\u00a0in D\u00fcsseldorf\u00a0on December 18 and December 20, 2026.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s announcement was made at a news conference in D\u00fcsseldorf featuring NHL Deputy Commissioner\u00a0Bill Daly,\u00a0NHLPA Sr. Director of International Strategy & Growth\u00a0and former German national player\u00a0Rob Zepp,\u00a0President of NHL Business\u00a0Keith Wachtel\u00a0and Mayor of D\u00fcsseldorf\u00a0Dr. Stephan Keller, among others.<\/p>\n
The upcoming games between Chicago and Ottawa represent a significant milestone in the League\u2019s expanding global footprint. The games will mark the second and third ever NHL\u00a0Regular-Season games played in Germany, with the first dating back to Oct. 8, 2011, when the Buffalo\u00a0Sabresfaced the Los Angeles Kings at\u00a0O2\u00a0World\u00a0in Berlin. The NHL\u00a0and NHLPA are\u00a0making\u00a0a commitment to\u00a0bring NHL\u00a0Regular\u00a0Season\u00a0games\u00a0to\u00a0Germany for at least the next\u00a0three\u00a0(3)\u00a0seasons. December\u2019s games in D\u00fcsseldorf will be the 13th\u00a0season\u00a0overall, and fifth consecutive season, in which the League will stage\u00a0NHL\u00a0Regular\u00a0Season matchups in Europe, a key component of its strategy to advance the sport globally and\u00a0to\u00a0build deeper connections with fans worldwide. A complete history of\u00a0NHL\u00a0Regular-Season games played outside North America can be found\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The December games will also showcase the strength of German developed NHL talent, led by native stars who continue to elevate the country\u2019s hockey presence on the global stage. The Senators\u2019 leading point and goal scorer is Viersen native\u00a0Tim St\u00fctzle, who has totaled 30-40-70 in 64 games in 2025-26.<\/p>\n \u201cI think German hockey has been growing a lot, and there are a lot of great players from there,\u201d said\u00a0St\u00fctzle. \u201cNow that they [the NHL] have been committing to playing games there and supporting kids as well. It\u2019s huge. Hopefully it gets\u00a0even\u00a0more people to play hockey in Germany. It\u2019s\u00a0really exciting\u00a0news.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond St\u00fctzle, Edmonton Oilers\u2019\u00a0forward\u00a0Leon Draisaitl\u00a0\u2013 one of the most decorated German athletes in NHL history \u2013 has surpassed 1,000 career points and\u00a0has\u00a0earned multiple League awards since being drafted third\u00a0(3rd)\u00a0overall in 2014. He also recently captained Team Germany to its best finish at an\u00a0Olympic tournament that featured\u00a0NHL participation (6th\u00a0place).\u00a0Draisaitl and NHLPA Goals & Dreams have partnered to donate 58 complete sets of hockey equipment to\u00a0K\u00f6lner\u00a0Haie youth teams.<\/p>\n Detroit\u2019s\u00a0Moritz Seider, the 2022 Calder Memorial Trophy winner,\u00a0is the leader of\u00a0the next generation of elite German defensemen. Together, Draisaitl, St\u00fctzle and Seider rank first, fourth and\u00a0eighth, all-time, respectively, among German NHLers\u00a0in scoring, demonstrating the country\u2019s growing\u00a0success in elite\u00a0player development, as well as its growing impact on the NHL.<\/p>\n The League\u2019s investment in Germany\u00a0is\u00a0intended to\u00a0reach well\u00a0beyond the ice. This weekend marks the debut of\u00a0Hockey Day in Germany<\/a>, the first program of its kind in the country. The March 13-14 celebration will engage\u00a0new and existing\u00a0fans through a series of hockey-centric activities, including interactive experiences at the\u00a0NHL Global Fan Tour, an appearance by the Stanley Cup, e\u2011gaming competitions and a live viewing event for the\u00a0NHL Saturday presented by Fastenal\u00a0broadcast featuring the Anaheim Ducks\u00a0and\u00a0Ottawa Senators. Germany\u00a0will become\u00a0the third\u00a0of four\u00a0total\u00a0markets\u00a0that will have hosted\u00a0an NHL\u00a0Hockey Day\u00a0event this season, following recent events in Sweden and Czechia,\u00a0and a\u00a0Hockey Day in Finland\u00a0event\u00a0scheduled for March 27-28.<\/p>\n Complementing its major events strategy, the NHL will continue\u00a0supporting\u00a0long\u2011term hockey\u00a0development and participation\u00a0throughout Europe through grassroots programs and community engagement efforts, such as\u00a0NHL Street Hockey. This school-based initiative\u00a0will be\u00a0delivered through a series of structured lessons and\u00a0will be organized and executed\u00a0collectively with local clubs, along with\u00a0Germany\u2019s\u00a0Member\u00a0National\u00a0Association (DEB in GER) to ensure interested students have a clear pathway into additional entry-level hockey programs in their cities. By the end of the 2025-26 season, NHL Street Hockey will be operating in seven\u00a0(7)\u00a0countries\u00a0outside of North America, including\u00a0Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Australia, the UK, China and Germany,\u00a0with an estimated 30,000+ students participating across these markets throughout the season. The program emphasizes the development of soft skills, promotes healthy and active lifestyles, and demonstrates the League\u2019s long\u2011term commitment to nurturing the next generation of players and fans in key international markets.<\/p>\n With the NHL opening its first European office in Zurich last summer, the success of global properties like the 4 Nations Face-Off and the upcoming World Cup of\u00a0Hockey\u00a02028\u00a0as well as the League\u2019s expanding\u00a0number of\u00a0media rights deals with partners around the world, the NHL is poised to continue the momentum it has been building in growing the game\u00a0of hockey\u00a0globally.\u200b<\/p>\n For press conference materials and additional #NHLStats resources,\u00a0see\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more information on the\u00a02026 NHL Global Series Germany\u00a0visit\u00a0NHL.com\/GlobalSeriesGermany<\/a>.<\/p>\n ### (3\/13\/26)<\/p>\n \u200bQuotes:<\/p>\n \u201cOur deepened commitment to Germany\u00a0as an important hockey country\u00a0marks a\u00a0critical\u00a0next chapter for the NHL. By further investing in one of Europe\u2019s most dynamic sports markets \u2013\u00a0both\u00a0throughthe execution of\u00a0major events and\u00a0the development and implementation of\u00a0grassroots initiatives \u2013 weintend to strengthen\u00a0our presence and\u00a0build\u00a0stronger\u00a0connections with German fans, partners and local communities. In\u00a0prioritizing\u00a0our efforts here, we hope to accelerate hockey\u2019s growth across the\u00a0region,creating\u00a0meaningful impact from the ground up.\u201d<\/p>\n Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cHaving previously played in Germany and now getting to return in my current role is a full circle moment for me. We have strategic plans to grow and build upon the existing hockey ecosystem through grassroots initiatives, creative collaborations, business opportunities and building stronger relationships between NHL players and German fans. Ultimately, this work will help further the game of hockey in Germany.\u201d<\/p>\n Rob Zepp, NHLPA Sr. Director of International Strategy & Growth<\/p>\n \u201cGermany is a wonderful country with an avid, sophisticated hockey audience that is eager to engage with the NHL. As one of our priority markets moving forward, Germany offers\u00a0a myriad ofopportunities to grow the sport of hockey at every level. We look forward to working closely with the\u00a0German Ice Hockey Federation, the DEL, Sky, local municipalities, business partners and other\u00a0sports leagues\u00a0to bring our vision to life.\u201d<\/p>\n Keith Wachtel, President of NHL Business<\/p>\n \u201cThe announcement of the\u00a02026 NHL Global Series Germany\u00a0is the next milestone for D\u00fcsseldorf as a hockey location. Following the international ice hockey game in May 2025 and the Deutschland Cup in November 2026, as well as the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2027 and NHL Hockey Day\u00a0in Germany\u00a0this weekend, this is the next highlight. We look forward to welcoming the top stars from North America to the PSD BANK DOME and to welcoming numerous fans, whom we, together with the NHL, are sure to provide with unforgettable moments.”<\/p>\n Dr. Stephan Keller, Mayor of the state capital D\u00fcsseldorf<\/p>\n \u201cWe warmly welcome the NHL’s interest in the German market. The NHL and the NHLPA are outstanding partners in the global growth of our sport, and Germany has developed into one of the most exciting hockey markets in Europe. Events like the Hockey Days or the Global Series Games have tremendous impact and visibility. We are fully committed to strengthening this partnership going forward, from high-profile events to community programs and development opportunities for young players. Our shared ambition is to inspire fans across the country and ensure that hockey in Germany continues to flourish.\u201d<\/p>\n Frank Lutz, Chairman of the Board of the German Ice Hockey Federation (Deutscher\u00a0Eishockey-Bund)<\/p>\n !<\/p>\n NHL\u00a01 MANHATTAN WEST, 395 NINTH AVE., NEW YORK, NY 10001;\u00a0212-789-2000;\u00a0www.NHL.com<\/a><\/p>\n