Updated 15.22 | Published on 15.20
Avicii Arena will be rebuilt.
The NHL then opens up for future games in Gothenburg or Malmo instead.
– This possibility certainly exists, says David Propper, the NHL’s chief executive officer, responsible for the league’s international strategy.
Thursday night is the first of four games at Avicii Arena this week, as the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators square off.
Only four consecutive matches on Swedish soil is new this year. Previously, there were “only” two games played on the occasions the NHL visited Sweden.
– Yeah, we’ve played two games a few times before and we knew the globe would soon be shut down for 18 months, or whatever. Then we looked at doing something different, something big this time. We wanted to make a “statement” in Stockholm, which is a good market for NHL hockey, because we will not have the opportunity to be here in the coming years, says David Propper, whose position in NHL management includes responsibility for “international strategy.” “.
“Wonderful in Gothenburg”
The Avicii Arena, or Globe as it is widely known, will close again in 2024 for a comprehensive renovation. In May 2025, the plan is to hold the World Cup of Hockey in the upgraded arena.
While waiting for the “new” Globe to open its doors, the NHL is considering holding games in Gothenburg or Malmo instead, Propper confirms.
We have an open dialogue with the two existing arenas in Gothenburg and Malmö. There are definitely opportunities for us to play matches in these cities. We had a great experience in Gothenburg a few years ago (in 2018, Edmonton and New Jersey met in Scandinavia, editor’s note). I myself have visited the Malmo Arena, which is great. So, yeah, there are definitely good NHL opportunities in those two cities, but we’re not too far ahead with any plans yet, he says.
“Denmark is hot”
Denmark and Norway are also of interest to the NHL.
-Denmark is exciting. If we are targeting the Danish market, the question is: Do we play in Malmö or in Copenhagen? There are a lot of really good NHL players from Denmark and we see absolute potential there. He says Denmark and Norway are two countries we can see ourselves playing matches in, and this has been discussed.
The NHL promoter also mentions Latvia and Mexico as potential future league destinations.
– We want to interact with our fans in different countries and work for the growth of hockey in the world, says Propper.