In 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators met in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. It was an exciting, back-and-forth series that ended with the Penguins winning their second Stanley Cup in a row. Eight years later, the two franchises will meet again on the big stage. This time, the Penguins and Predators will meet in the NHL Global Series.
2025 Global Series Set
The @NHL, @NHLPA and Live Nation announced the 2025 #NHLGlobalSeries Sweden presented by Fastenal, a pair of regular-season games featuring the @PredsNHL and @Penguins in Stockholm, Sweden on Nov. 14 and Nov. 16.
For more: https://t.co/qQJZorUSf8 pic.twitter.com/PnCCBSKlWv
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 18, 2025
The games will take place at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden on November 14 and November 16.
The 2025-26 season will be the 15th season to include NHL regular-season games outside North America. Stockholm has hosted the most NHL regular-season games of any city.
Swedish Players Playing at Home
Both teams have multiple Swedish players on their rosters who will get to play in their home country.
For the Penguins, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Emil Bemstrom are Swedish. Furthermore, Karlsson and Rakell played for Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
For the Predators, Filip Forsberg, Adam Wilsby, and Andreas Englund are Swedish. Like Karlsson and Rakell, Forsberg played for Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“It’s obviously a great experience,” Karlsson said. “Everyone that hasn’t been there before, they played with a lot of guys that are from there. You hear a lot of things about a lot of various foods and different things. So, it’s fun for everyone to experience. Obviously, for us, it’s nice because you have a lot of friends and family there, and at the same time, it’s nice to be able to show your teammates your home country, and maybe put a picture to some of the things you talk about a lot and they’re asking you about.”
“Obviously it’s going to be a great time, a great opportunity for me,” Forsberg said. “I have a lot of people that might not be able to travel here to watch that get their chance to watch me play in the NHL at home. It’s pretty special. I mean second to my home town (Ostervala), it’s the best place in the world. Stockholm is beautiful. It’s a great city. November shouldn’t be too bad weather-wise either. Watching the best players in the world in Avicii Arena? Can’t beat that.”
The NHL Returns to Stockholm
The Penguins have played in Stockholm before, during the 2008 season. For the Predators, this will be their first trip to Stockholm. However, both teams have played each other outside North America. In 2000, the two teams met in Japan, with each team winning one game.
Swedish players make up 9.7% of NHL players this season.
Main Photo: Steve Roberts- Imagn Images
