Lightning to square off against Sabres in Stockholm, Sweden in 2019-2020 season
NEW YORK/TORONTO (March 21, 2019) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), in conjunction with Live Nation Sweden, today announced that the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning will participate in the 2019 NHL Global Series.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers will play their 2019-20 season-opening game against each other in Prague, Czech Republic on Friday, Oct. 4 at O2 Arena. The Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning will face off in a pair of regular-season games at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday, Nov. 8, and on Saturday, Nov. 9. In addition, the Flyers and Blackhawks will complete their training camps in Switzerland and Germany, respectively, and each will play an exhibition match as part of the 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge. Tickets to the 2019 NHL Global Series and 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge games in Berlin, Prague and Stockholm will go on sale to the public beginning on Wednesday, March 27. Tickets to the 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge game in Lausanne will go on sale to the public beginning on Wednesday, April 10. Fans can register their interest in tickets and gain access to pre-sale information and more by signing up for NHL Inside the Crease.
The 2019 NHL Global Series will mark the third straight year and eighth season overall that the NHL has traveled to Europe to play regular-season games. These games reward the legions of loyal and passionate fans in Europe that enjoy live NHL games available via international broadcast partners and the NHL’s streaming service, NHL.TV. The NHL’s biggest stars are also featured across numerous social media platforms and on NHL.com in eight languages for the League’s international fans. The three games next fall will be the 26th, 27th and 28th NHL regular-season games played in Europe. The Oct. 4 game between Chicago and Philadelphia will mark the fifth NHL regular-season game played in the Czech Republic, all of which have been played at O2 Arena in Prague. The two games between Buffalo and Tampa Bay will mark the 12th and 13th NHL regular-season games played in Sweden, and the 11th and 12th games played at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm.
Prior to the Chicago-Philadelphia season-opening matchup, the Blackhawks and Flyers will complete their training camps in Europe and will each play in an exhibition match as part of the 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge. The Blackhawks will report to Berlin, Germany and play an exhibition game against Eisbären Berlin on Sunday, Sept. 29, at Mercedes-Benz Arena. The Flyers will report to Lausanne, Switzerland, and play an exhibition game against Lausanne HC on Monday, Sept. 30, at Vaudoise aréna.
The 2019 NHL Global Series and 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge are promoted by Live Nation Sweden with official partners adidas, NOCCO, SAP and Upper Deck. In addition, Replay and Tesla Batteries will serve as partners of the 2019 NHL Global Series in the Czech Republic between the Blackhawks and Flyers on Oct. 4, which will start at 8 p.m. CET and be broadcast locally on Nova Action and Nova Sport 1. Stockholm Live, Hankook and Expressen will serve as partners of the 2019 NHL Global Series matchups in Sweden between the Sabres and Lightning, which are scheduled for 8 p.m. CET on Nov. 8 and 7 p.m. CET on Nov. 9, and will both be broadcast locally on TV6 and Viasat Hockey and streamed on Viaplay. The 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge matchup in Germany between Chicago and Eisbären Berlin will start at 7:30 p.m. CET on Sept. 29 with broadcast information to be announced at a later date. The 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge game in Switzerland between Philadelphia and Lausanne HC will start at 8 p.m. CET on Sept. 30 and will be broadcast locally on Teleclub Zoom.
The NHL is a global League, with more than 25 percent of NHL players this season having been born outside of North America. All four clubs feature a number of international stars on their rosters, including natives and nationals of the countries they are visiting. This fall, Blackhawks forward Dominik Kahun, a German national born in the Czech Republic, will be playing in both Germany and the Czech Republic. In addition, David Kampf of the Blackhawks along with Jakub Voracek, Radko Gudas and Michal Neuvirth of the Flyers will be playing in their home country of the Czech Republic. In November, Rasmus Dahlin, Johan Larsson and Linus Ullmark of the Sabres, along with Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman of the Lightning will be playing in their home country of Sweden.
Chicago, Buffalo and Tampa Bay have all played regular-season games in Europe, while Philadelphia will be making its international regular-season debut. The Blackhawks split a pair of games against the Florida Panthers in the 2009 NHL Premiere in Helsinki, Finland. During the 2011 NHL Premiere, the Sabres defeated the Anaheim Ducks in Helsinki by a score of 4-1, as well as the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 in Berlin, Germany. Tampa Bay traveled to Prague for the 2008 NHL Premiere, where they were defeated by the Rangers in two games, each by a score of 2-1.
Tickets to the 2019 NHL Global Series and 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge games in Berlin, Prague and Stockholm will go on sale to the public beginning on Wednesday, March 27. Tickets to the 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge game in Lausanne will go on sale to the public beginning on Wednesday, April 10. Ticket opportunities are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
-- Tickets and VIP hospitality packages to the Sept. 29 NHL Global Series Challenge between the Chicago Blackhawks and Eisbären Berlin at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany, will go on sale at 9 a.m. CET on Wednesday, March 27 at www.eisbaeren.de/NHL.
-- Tickets and VIP hospitality packages to the Sept. 30 NHL Global Series Challenge between the Philadelphia Flyers and Lausanne HC at Vaudoise aréna in Lausanne, Switzerland, will go on sale at 9 a.m. CET on Wednesday, April 10 at www.ticketcorner.ch.
-- Tickets and VIP hospitality packages to the Oct. 4 NHL Global Series game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers and at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic will go on sale at 9 a.m. CET on Wednesday, March 27 at www.livenation.cz.
-- Tickets and VIP hospitality packages to the Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 NHL Global Series games between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden, will go on sale at 9 a.m. CET on Wednesday, March 27 at www.livenation.se.
More information on the 2019 NHL Global Series and 2019 NHL Global Series Challenge will be announced at a later date. As part of the League’s six international sites, NHL.com/sv, NHL.com/cs and NHL.com/de will serve as the official home for all of the latest news and information about the 2019 NHL Global Series as well as other features from around the NHL.
