MELBOURNE, Australia — The National Hockey League [NHL] will bring two pre-season games to Australia later this year, the first time the United States-based league has ventured Down Under.
The Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes will contest the pair of games at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena — which has a capacity of around 15,000 spectators — on September 23 and 24, as part of the ‘2023 NHL Global Series’.
The 2023/24 NHL regular season is expected to begin a fortnight later, though no date has currently been set.
North American hockey is no stranger to Australia. In recent years, Sydney hosted exhibition clashes between the United States and Canada, albeit featuring teams comprised mostly of former NHL players.
Making the announcement on Wednesday morning, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he was excited to bring the NHL to Australia believing more fans will be created from the event.
“We are delighted to bring the excitement and passion of the National Hockey League to the dynamic city of Melbourne and the great sports fans of Australia with the 2023 Global Series games,” Mr Bettman said in a statement.
“The Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings are two of our League’s rising young teams and among our most innovative and adventurous franchises. We look forward to their two games at Rod Laver Arena and know this history-making visit will thrill our many avid fans in Australia and cause so many more throughout the sports-loving nation to be captivated by our great game.”
The NHL joins Major League Baseball [MLB] as two of the four major North American sporting leagues to have taken their sport to Australia. In 2014, MLB opened its season at the SCG with a series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Both games in Melbourne are expected to sell out, with tickets going on sale via Ticketek.com.au on April 18.
More to follow…