NHL's German Expansion Gains Momentum
The 2027‑28 NHL season will see the Boston Bruins open their schedule with a pair of regular‑season games in Munich, while the Edmonton Oilers bring two matches to Cologne. The league announced the fixtures as part of a multi‑year effort to embed itself in the German market, a move that builds on recent experiments in Berlin and Düsseldorf.
For Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, the Cologne games will be more than just a professional assignment; they will be a homecoming in front of family and friends. The star centre, who grew up in the city, is expected to bring a surge of local enthusiasm that the league hopes will translate into stronger grassroots participation.
A Three‑Year Push to Grow the Sport
The NHL and the NHL Players' Association have earmarked at least three consecutive seasons of European fixtures, beginning with the 2023‑24 double‑header in Düsseldorf and extending through the upcoming Munich and Cologne engagements. Officials say the initiative is designed to deepen fan engagement, forge partnerships with local businesses, and nurture community programs that introduce hockey to new audiences.
While the games are scheduled as standalone events, the league envisions a broader ecosystem that includes youth clinics, exhibition tournaments and sponsorship activations. By anchoring its presence in cities with strong hockey traditions, the NHL aims to create a sustainable pipeline of talent and supporters that can eventually rival the long‑standing popularity of other European sports.