TORONTO/NEW YORK (August 20, 2026) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and National Hockey League (NHL) today announced that for the first-time ever, Munich and Cologne will host NHL regular season games during the 2027-28 NHL season. The 2027 NHL Global Series Germany will feature the Boston Bruins playing two games in JJ Peterka’s home city of Munich at SAP Garden. Also, as part of the 2027 NHL Global Series Germany, the Edmonton Oilers will play two games in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne at Lanxess Arena.
Today’s announcement furthers the NHL’s and NHLPA’s long-term international growth strategy in Germany, which includes strategic investment in growing the game through grassroots activations, content and other fan engagement initiatives, and forging new, long-term business partnerships. The NHL and NHLPA’s plans, as demonstrated today, include bringing more live, regular season games to Germany. More details including ticketing and opponents will be announced during the 2026-27 regular season.
“There is no better way to experience the speed, skill and excitement of NHL hockey than live and in person. The National Hockey League is thrilled to bring our first-ever regular season games to the passionate fans in Munich and Cologne,” said Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner. “These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany. By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe’s most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country.”
“The NHL Global Series games in 2027 bring two of the NHL’s best players in Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka back to play in front of their hometown fans,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “Germany has a proud hockey tradition, and these NHL Global Series games are part of the League and NHLPA’s ongoing commitment to build meaningful connections between NHL players and the German marketplace.”
The upcoming 2027 NHL Global Series Germany games in Munich and Cologne represent another key milestone in the League’s expanding global footprint. The games will mark the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh NHL Regular-Season games played in Germany, with the first dating back to Oct. 8, 2011, when the Buffalo Sabres faced the Los Angeles Kings at O2 World in Berlin. The NHL and NHLPA will bring NHL Regular Season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons, starting with this year’s 2026 NHL Global Series Germany on December 18 and 20, 2026 at PSD Bank Dome, featuring the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks. A complete history of NHL Regular-Season games played outside North America can be found here.
The 2027 NHL Global Series Germany games will also showcase the strength of German-developed NHL talent, led by native stars who continue to elevate the country’s hockey presence on the global stage. Edmonton Oilers’ forward and Cologne native Leon Draisaitl is the highest-scoring German player in NHL history, with more than double the points of the next highest scorer, and has earned multiple League awards since being drafted third overall in 2014. In 2025-26, Draisaitl became the first German player to record 1,000 career NHL points and captained the country to its best finish at an Olympic tournament that featured NHL participation (6th place) – topping Team Germany with seven points in five games. Draisaitl and NHLPA Goals & Dreams have partnered to donate 58 complete sets of hockey equipment to Kölner Haie youth teams.
Boston Bruins’ forward and Munich native JJ Peterka has topped the 20-goal mark in three of his four full NHL seasons, including a 25-goal performance for the Utah Mammoth in 2025-26 (25-22—47 in 82 GP). A second-round draft pick (34th overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in 2020, Peterka has already skated in 320 career NHL games at the age of 24, for the Sabres and Mammoth, scoring 92 goals and adding 105 assists for 197 points – already among the top 10 German scorers in NHL history. He joined Draisaitl on the 2026 German Olympic Team at Milano/Cortina, contributing one goal and three assists in five games.
The NHL continues to demonstrate its commitment to the long-term growth of hockey in Germany through grassroots programs and community engagement initiatives. Central to these efforts is the expansion of NHL Street Hockey in regions such as North Rhine-Westphalia, helping create a lasting legacy and broaden access to the sport in communities hosting NHL games, alongside initiatives such as Hockey Day in Germany and the NHL Global Fan Tour. Looking ahead, the League will expand its school-based initiatives, youth development programs and fan engagement activities, strengthening participation and helping foster a new generation of players, families and fans throughout the country.
