Will the NHL play in Australia in the future? – Hockey-News.info – All news about national and international ice hockey

Next weekend, the National Hockey League (NHL) visits Finland for its second stop in the “NHL Global Series,” where the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche will battle it out in two games. But those in charge of the league are already thinking about the next step: Games in Australia!?

Sportsnet Insider Elliott Friedman leaked that a site visit, a shipment, could be in the next few weeks. Possible games “down under” in 2023 or 2024 could be on the agenda. A possible venue for Australia games is the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs, the 1,500-seat O’Brien Icehouse.

In 1938, the NHL Crackpots debuted outside of North America when the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens squared off in the United Kingdom. Countless games have been held around the world over the past eight decades, with the NHL visiting no fewer than 15 countries.

An Australian currently making the NHL debut: Nathan Walker, born in Wales and raised in Sydney, was drafted the first “Aussie” in 2014 and debuted as the first Australian in 2017.