The NHL is set to return to one of its most popular international homes.
When the two teams face off at Avicii Arena on Nov. 14 and 16, it’ll mark the 15th season in which NHL games have been played outside North America.
Sweden makes up the highest representation of players in the NHL from any country born outside of North America, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of the league, per the NHL.
Stockholm has hosted the most NHL regular-season games of any city outside of North America. The pair of matchups between Pittsburgh and Nashville will bring that total to 18. November’s games will be the first NHL contests played at Avicii Arena since its re-opening last month following extensive renovations.
The trip abroad will be the Penguins’ first time playing overseas since 2008, when they faced the Ottawa Senators also in Stockholm. For long-time captain Sidney Crosby, it’ll be just his second time playing outside of North America in a Penguins uniform. Pittsburgh’s roster also includes three Swedish players Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Emil Bemstrom.
For the Predators, their last trip abroad was to Prague in 2022 when they faced the San Jose Sharks in two games. Nashville’s roster will be headlined by Swedish star and franchise goals leader Filip Forsberg along with countrymen Andreas Englund and Adam Wilsby.
