The NHL is coming to Germany

Tim Stützle is making the start, Leon Draisaitl is set to follow: In the coming years, ice hockey fans in Germany will be able to see the biggest national NHL stars in regular season games.

March 13, 2026

From: dpa/det

To kick off a campaign planned to last at least three years, world-class forward Stützle and his Ottawa Senators will play against the Chicago Blackhawks in Düsseldorf on December 18th and 20th.

“This will be a mega experience – especially since my family and many friends will be there. It will definitely be something special and a moment I will never forget,” said the 24-year-old national striker Stützle, who comes from Tönisvorst, only about 35 kilometers away from Düsseldorf.

The best German ice hockey player: Leon Draisaitl. © APA / CAMERON BARTLETT

The NHL is aggressively pursuing expansion into Europe and aims to enter the German market. "We want to develop our game at all levels in Germany," said NHL Vice President Bill Daly, outlining his growth plans. Superstar Draisaitl is expected to play a key role in this expansion. According to the world's best ice hockey league, the German Olympic captain is slated to play in games over the coming years. The plan is to hold regular games at various locations throughout Germany.

The league is investing 100 million euros.

Regular games in Germany in the coming years
“We need to come here over a longer period of time. It’s not about coming every few years. We need to play here every year,” said NHL Business President Keith Wachtel.

It has been 15 years since the NHL last played a regular season game in Germany. In 2011, the Buffalo Sabres, featuring then-national team player Christian Ehrhoff, played against the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, games in Europe have primarily taken place in Stockholm or Prague.
Now the league, which plans to invest around 100 million euros in Europe in the coming years, sees the perfect opportunity to invest and grow in Germany as well.

Keywords hockey NHL