NHL Global Series Appearance 'Worth The Wait' For Aho

RALEIGH, N.C. - 16 years ago, Sebastian Aho sat in the stands of Hartwall Areena in Finland, watching the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild kick off the 2010-11 season as a part of the Compuware NHL Premiere series.

Just 13 years young at the time, he remembers being in awe of the players on the ice, including popular Finns Jussi Jokinen, Joni Pitkanen, and Tuomo Ruutu, dreaming one day he'd be able to be in their shoes - or skates.

A keystone moment in his journey to becoming a professional hockey player, it's a memory that's stuck with him all of these years, even after playing over 700 games and recording 700 points in the league.

And now, this November, the situation will come full circle, as the NHL returns to Aho's home country as part of their 2026 Global Series, where the Canes take on the Seattle Kraken.

“Very excited. Happy. I’ve been dreaming about it for 10 years," the star center reacted with a gigantic smile when he learned of the news. "When they announce the teams [for these games], you usually don’t see Carolina there, and you’re always like, ‘Bummer.’ But [this is] worth the wait."

With the two-game series set to take place in Helsinki, roughly 160 miles, or a three-hour drive from his birthplace of Rauma, the homecoming opportunity is an emotional one.

"I’m pumped to go there and play in front of people who have been close to me and haven’t had the chance to travel here often, or at all," Aho continued. "That’s going to be special."

Taking place just nine months after Aho helped the country earn a bronze medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Finnish fans are some of the most passionate in all of hockey, and now they'll get to see a few of their nation's biggest stars up close and personal.

“I think they’re going to enjoy it. Hopefully, we can put on a good show for them and win both games. That’s the goal," the hyper-competitive Aho said. "Hockey is such a big part of Finnish culture, and people definitely enjoy watching it and cheering on Finns. It’s such a big part of the whole country, and I know it’s going to be a good atmosphere at the games.”

In line to be the team's unofficial tour guide while there, Aho says he's already got some ideas in mind to showcase his home country, but some of them he wants to keep a surprise for now.

"I don’t want to put it out there in the public just yet, but I have a couple of ideas to treat the fellas that definitely show some Finnish culture," he said with a smirk. "It’s no secret that the sauna is going to be part of it."

Perhaps just as exciting as learning the news himself was the reaction of Aho's teammates when they got word of it. General Manager Eric Tulsky came to the locker room to inform No. 20 personally, and when word started to spread, it was nothing but joy for the center, who continues to rise in the franchise's record books.

“[They were] happy for me, which tells you [a lot] about the team too. They were all like, ‘This is going to be so cool for you,’" the alternate captain explained. "I hope they’re going to have a good time, too. I hope to show them some of the cool stuff about Finnish culture, maybe some food, and stuff like that. The reaction from the guys was that they were really happy for me, which tells you a lot about the team.”

The latest installment in what's already become a career filled with great experiences, Aho isn't rushing to get to November, but he'll be thinking about it a lot until then.

“When it’s all said and done, you’ll look back, and I’ll bet I’ll remember this for a long time," he finished with. "Roddy keeps telling us that you stack memories, and this is the best time of your life. You get to play a game that you dreamed of as a kid. Obviously, it’s going to be a little more to it than a normal regular-season game there. I think it’s going to be something I’ll remember for a long while.”