NHL/NHLPA Innovation Competition registration open now to all Florida college students

Outdoor NHL hockey is coming to Florida in January and February and to celebrate, the NHL and NHL Players' Association are giving college and university students across the state to chance to participate in the NHL/NHLPA Innovation Competition presented by SAP in partnership with ESPN Take Back Sports.

The competition is a groundbreaking collegiate competition designed to inspire students to reimagine the future of hockey by challenging participants to develop creative ideas that help grow the game through three core Innovation Pillars: Supporting the People Who Power Sport, Expanding Spaces for Play, and Putting Fun Back at the Center of Sport.

Students are encouraged to explore solutions that reimagine how coaches, referees, and volunteers are supported; how communities can create more accessible and inclusive spaces for play; and how hockey can once again prioritize joy, creativity, and friendship for kids and families.

The top six finalist teams will present their ideas live at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports at the Walt Disney World Resort on Jan. 22, 2026.

The State of Florida is hosting two outdoor games next year -- the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2 and the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Feb. 1.

For SAP, a longtime NHL partner, this initiative represents a natural extension of its University Alliances program, which connects SAP with academic institutions worldwide to prepare the next generation of innovators through hands-on learning and access to SAP technologies. By aligning this educational effort with the Innovation Competition, SAP helps empower students to apply creativity, data, and design thinking to real-world opportunities within the sport.

With the NHL, NHLPA, and SAP joining forces --- and ESPN Take Back Sports helping bring the competition to life -- the NHL/NHLPA Innovation Competition presented by SAP will spotlight the power of collaboration, imagination, and technology to grow the game for future generations.

Students can learn more and register before Nov. 17, 2025, at hockeyinnovationcompetitionfl.com.