A New Era for NHL Technology
Presidio and the National Hockey League announced this week that they have renewed their North American partnership, a move that will see the league’s technology stack receive a comprehensive overhaul. The collaboration aims to modernize everything from the draft process to live game production, delivering faster, more secure and more engaging experiences for teams, broadcasters and fans alike.
The centerpiece of the upgrade is the migration of the NHL Draft Application, which has been in use since 2023, onto a new hybrid‑cloud platform built on Presidio’s AI‑driven infrastructure. The revamped system is designed to secure, retrieve and transmit the data that powers the draft, delivering faster and more reliable performance for teams and fans alike.
Alongside the draft upgrade, Presidio and the NHL have co‑developed a Virtual Technology Operations Center, or VTOC, that will serve as the nerve centre for live game production. The VTOC leverages real‑time analytics and cloud‑based orchestration to streamline operations across the league’s 32 clubs, reducing latency and improving coordination for broadcasters and production crews.
Another breakthrough is the NHL Watch Comms App, a mobile platform that delivers haptic notifications to on‑ice officials. According to the league, the app is now used by 95 % of officials, providing instant updates on penalties, line changes and other in‑game events without the need for cumbersome pagers.
Draft Returns to Buffalo After Decade‑Long Absence
The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft will make a historic return to Buffalo, New York, marking the first time the event has been staged in the city in over a decade. The Buffalo Sabres will host the draft at the KeyBank Center, a venue that promises to showcase the league’s newest technological capabilities to a global audience of more than 670 million fans.
Presidio, a global provider of digital services and AI solutions, will continue to supply the expertise that underpins these innovations. Executives from both organizations highlighted the partnership as a strategic step to keep the NHL at the forefront of sports technology, blending cutting‑edge infrastructure with the tradition and excitement of hockey.