While the NHL is one of the premier professional sports leagues in North America, hockey fans across the world often get to see the biggest stars in action thanks to the league’s Global Series. In this article, we will take a closer look at the NHL’s forays into other areas of the planet via the Global Series.
What is the NHL Global Series?
The Global Series is when select NHL teams play games outside of the US and Canada by traveling to other parts of the world to hold either international pre-season or regular-season games.
The league first took its show on the road in the spring of 1938 when the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens headed to Europe to play nine games against each other in various cities in England and France.
In fact, the first contest between the clubs on April 21st, 1938 was also the first time a major North American sports league played outside of North America.
Since the NHL first visited Europe, the league has held several games in other parts of the globe, including:
- Australia
- China
- Japan
The first international regular-season games which counted in the league standings took place in October, 1997, when the Vancouver Canucks and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim met for two games in Japan to kick off the 1997/98 regular season.
When Was the First NHL Global Series?
The first official Global Series games took place in November, 2017. This was a newly-named NHL series and it featured the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators engaging in a pair of regular-season games in Stockholm, Sweden at the Ericsson Globe arena.
Instead of starting the regular season on foreign shores, though, the league decided to play games a month into the campaign, as the contests took place on November 10th and 11th.
What are the Premiere Series and NHL Challenge?
Before the Global Series was officially developed, the NHL also held international games against fellow NHL teams or international clubs under several different names such as the Premiere Series and the NHL Challenge.
Over the years games took place in 1959 in Europe, in 1976 in Japan, in 1980 in Sweden, in 1981 in Sweden, in 1989 in Europe, in 1990 in Europe, in 1990 in Russia and Europe, in 1992 and 1993 in England, in 1994 in Finland, in 1997 and 1998 in Japan, in 1998 in Austria, in 2000 in Japan, in 2000 and 2001 in Sweden, in 2003 in Finland and Sweden, in 2006 in Puerto Rico, in 2007 in Austria and the UK, from 2008 to 2011 in various locations in Europe and in 2017 and 2018 in China.
In addition, during the 1994/95 NHL lockout and the 2004/05 NHL labour dispute with the league’s players, several NHL players put together a team and played numerous games in Europe. The NHL also invited several European and Russian teams to North America to play against NHL clubs in 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1982/83, 1985/86, 1987, 1988/89, 1989/90 and 1990/91.
The 1997 games which were held in Tokyo, Japan between Vancouver and Anaheim opened the 1997/98 season and were the first time that NHL games played outside of North America counted for points in the league standings.
Where are the NHL Global Series Games in 2023?
The NHL will hold two Global Series events in 2023/24 with one in the pre-season and one in the regular season. The pre-season contests saw the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes play at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. On September 23rd the Coyotes won 5-3 and the Kings followed up with a 3-2 victory on September 24th.
The NHL Global Series regular-season games for the 2023/24 season will be held at the Avicci Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, with the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs taking part.
These are held from November 16th to 19th, 2023, with Detroit playing Ottawa on the 16th, Toronto playing Detroit on the 17th, Minnesota tangling with Ottawa on the 18th, and Toronto taking on Minnesota on the 19th.
Where will the 2024 NHL Global Series Games be Held?
The NHL has yet to announce the details of the 2024/25 Global Series games. I can update you with the information when it is announced, or let us know in the comments!
NHL Global Series Location History and Results:
Heading into the 2023/24 campaign, the NHL has staged 38 regular-season games on foreign soil which counted for points in the league standings. The following are the details of those contests.
| Date | Series Type | Teams and Scores | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2022 | Global Series | Colorado Avalanche 5 – 1 Columbus Blue Jackets | Tampere, Finland |
| Nov 4, 2022 | Global Series | Columbus Blue Jackets 3 – 6 Colorado Avalanche | Tampere, Finland |
| Oct 8, 2022 | Global Series | Nashville Predators 3 – 2 San Jose Sharks | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Global Series | San Jose Sharks 1 – 4 Nashville Predators | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Nov 9, 2019 | Global Series | Buffalo Sabres 3 – 5 Tampa Bay Lightning | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nov 8, 2019 | Global Series | Tampa Bay Lightning 3 – 2 Buffalo Sabres | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Global Series | Chicago Blackhawks 3 – 4 Philadelphia Flyers | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Nov 2, 2018 | Global Series | Florida Panthers 4 – 2 Winnipeg Jets | Helsinki, Finland |
| Nov 1, 2018 | Global Series | Winnipeg Jets 4 – 2 Florida Panthers | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 6, 2018 | Global Series | Edmonton Oilers 2 – 5 New Jersey Devils | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Nov 11, 2017 | Global Series | Colorado Avalanche 3 – 4 Ottawa Senators | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nov 10, 2017 | Global Series | Ottawa Senators 4 – 3 Colorado Avalanche | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 8, 2011 | Premiere Series | Buffalo Sabres 4 – 2 Los Angeles Kings | Berlin, Germany |
| Oct 8, 2011 | Premiere Series | New York Rangers 1 – 2 Anaheim Ducks | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 7, 2011 | Premiere Series | Anaheim Ducks 1 – 4 Buffalo Sabres | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 7, 2011 | Premiere Series | New York Rangers 2 – 3 Los Angeles Kings | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 10, 2010 | Premiere Series | Boston Bruins 3 – 0 Phoenix Coyotes | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Oct 9, 2010 | Premiere Series | Columbus Blue Jackets 3 – 2 San Jose Sharks | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 9, 2010 | Premiere Series | Phoenix Coyotes 5 – 2 Boston Bruins | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Oct 8, 2010 | Premiere Series | San Jose Sharks 3 – 2 Columbus Blue Jackets | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 8, 2010 | Premiere Series | Minnesota Wild 1 – 2 Carolina Hurricanes | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 7, 2010 | Premiere Series | Carolina Hurricanes 4 – 3 Minnesota Wild | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 3, 2009 | Premiere Series | Detroit Red Wings 3 – 5 St. Louis Blues | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 3, 2009 | Premiere Series | Chicago Blackhawks 4 – 0 Florida Panthers | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 2, 2009 | Premiere Series | St. Louis Blues 4 – 3 Detroit Red Wings | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 2, 2009 | Premiere Series | Florida Panthers 4 – 3 Chicago Blackhawks | Helsinki, Finland |
| Oct 5, 2008 | Premiere Series | Ottawa Senators 3 – 1 Pittsburgh Penguins | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 5, 2008 | Premiere Series | Tampa Bay Lightning 1 – 2 New York Rangers | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Oct 4, 2008 | Premiere Series | Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – 3 Ottawa Senators | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Oct 4, 2008 | Premiere Series | New York Rangers 2 – 1 Tampa Bay Lightning | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Sep 30, 2007 | Premiere Series | Los Angeles Kings 1 – 4 Anaheim Ducks | London, England |
| Sep 29, 2007 | Premiere Series | Anaheim Ducks 1 – 4 Los Angeles Kings | London, England |
| Oct 7, 2000 | GAME ONe Japan 2000 | Pittsburgh Penguins 3 – 1 Nashville Predators | Saitama, Japan |
| Oct 6, 2000 | GAME ONe Japan 2000 | Nashville Predators 3 – 1 Pittsburgh Penguins | Saitama, Japan |
| Oct 10, 1998 | GAME ONe Japan ’98 | Calgary Flames 5 – 3 San Jose Sharks | Tokyo, Japan |
| Oct 9, 1998 | GAME ONe Japan ’98 | San Jose Sharks 3 – 3 Calgary Flames | Tokyo, Japan |
| Oct 4, 1997 | GAME ONe Japan ’97 | Vancouver Canucks 2 – 3 Anaheim Ducks | Tokyo, Japan |
| Oct 3, 1997 | GAME ONe Japan ’97 | Anaheim Ducks 2 – 3 Vancouver Canucks | Tokyo, Japan |
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.