The NHL is heading back to Europe next season with the return of the 2022 NHL Global Series.
When the 2022-23 NHL regular season begins, the Predators and Sharks will play two games in Prague, Czech Republic at O2 Arena on Oct. 7 and 8. A few weeks later, on Nov. 4 and 5, it will be the Avalanche and Blue Jackets playing twice in Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
Before they head to Prague, the Predators and Sharks will each play exhibition games against European teams. Nashville will play SC Bern at PostFinance Area in Bern, Switzerland on Oct. 3, while the Sharks will head to Berlin, Germany to face off against Eisbären Berlin at Mercedes-Benz Arena on Oct. 4.
This will be the ninth season the NHL will play regular-season games in Europe and first since the 2019 Global Series which took place in Berlin, Prague, Lusanne, Switzerland, and Stockholm, Sweden. The NHL was forced to postpone the 2020 Global Series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bruins, Predators, Avalanche, and Blue Jackets were scheduled to play games in Prague, Bern, Helsinki, Finland, and Mannheim, Germany.
Some of the players who will be at home during the 2022 NHL Global Series include Mikko Rantanan, Artturi Lehkonen, Patrik Laine, Joonas Korpisalo (Finland), Roman Josi (Switzerland), and Tomas Hertl, Radio Simek, David Rittich (Czech Republic).
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.