The NHL will be returning to Helsinki, Finland, next season when the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken play two regular-season games in the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland.
The games will be played at Veikkaus Arena on Nov. 12 and Nov. 14.
The Hurricanes currently have two players born in Finland, with forwards Sebastian Aho (Rauma) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Pori) on Carolina, while Seattle has three in forwards Kaapo Kakko (Turku), Eeli Tolvanen (Vihti) and Jani Nyman (Valkeakoski).
"It's super-exciting to get to play in Finland," Aho said. "I think it's very important growing the game. Little kids all over the world get to see the highest level of hockey."
Although this will be the first time Aho plays an NHL game in his home country, it's not the first one he will attend.
In 2010, five years before he was selected by Carolina in the second round (No. 35) of the 2015 NHL Draft, he saw the Hurricanes play the Minnesota Wild in the Premier Series at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki, which was called Hartwall Arena at the time.
"This is a long time ago," Aho said. "It was such a cool moment."
The 2026 Global Series marks a return to Helsinki for the first time since the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets split their two-game series in 2018. The Panthers and Dallas Stars played two games in Tampere, Finland, last season. In the 2022-23 season, the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets played two games in Tampere.
The NHL announced on March 13 there will be two regular-season games in Dusseldorf next season between the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators in the 2026 NHL Global Series Germany.
The 2026 NHL Global Series games in Finland and Germany will mark the 13th season, and fifth consecutive year, 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 and media partners, the NHL’s streaming service, NHL.TV and NHL.TV on DAZN. The NHL’s biggest star players are also featured across numerous social media platforms, and on NHL.com in seven languages, for the League’s international fans.
Of the 48 previous regular-season games played outside North America, there have been 11 played in Finland, of which seven have taken place in Helsinki, and one has been played in Germany.
The Kraken will play a regular-season game in Europe for the first time, becoming the 27th NHL team to do so. The Hurricanes last played two games in Helsinki against the Wild in the Premiere Series in 2010, winning 4-3 and 2-1.
“It’s my first time being able to go and play there, so it will be nice to play in front of my family and friends,” said Kakko. “Hockey is big over there; they love hockey over there. It can be hard to watch the NHL because of the time difference, but it is a big hockey culture. … I think they are going to love it."
Aho is in his 10th season with Carolina. The 28-year-old has 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists) in 70 games this season.
Kotkaniemi is in his eighth NHL season and fifth with Carolina. The 25-year-old was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the third pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 37 games this season.
Kakko, 25, is in his second season with Seattle. He was selected by the New York Rangers with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
He played six seasons with the Rangers and was acquired by the Kraken in a trade for forward Will Borgen and a third- and sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, on Dec. 18, 2024. He has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 52 games this season.
Tolvanen is in his ninth NHL season and fourth with Seattle. The 26-year-old was selected by the Nashville Predators with the No. 30 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
He played parts of five seasons in Nashville before claimed off waivers by Seattle on Dec. 12, 2022. He has 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 66 games this season.
“It’s going to be a really cool thing, being able to play an NHL game in Finland,” Tolvanen said. “I have family and friends over there, so to be able to play in front of them there will be really cool.
“It’s going to be huge. I remember as a kid when NHL games were over there, they were massive. Everyone is really excited about it. Hockey is a big part of the culture; they are really passionate about hockey and the national team. I think it’s going to be really nice to be able to go and play in front of Finnish people.”
Nyman, 21, has six points (four goals, two assists) in 26 games this season.
Tickets for all four 2026 NHL Global Series games go on sale later this month.
NHL.com independent correspondent George Richards contributed to this report
