RELEASE: Oilers heading back to Germany for 2027 NHL Global Series

EDMONTON, AB – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and National Hockey League (NHL) announced on Thursday that the Edmonton Oilers will be heading back to Germany next season as part of the 2027 NHL Global Series.

For the first time ever, the cities of Munich and Cologne will stage NHL regular-season games during the 2027-28 season when Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers return to the superstar's native city of Cologne and Lanxess Arena for the second time following their participation in the 2018 NHL Global Series in Cologne and Gothenburg.

The Oilers will be joined overseas by the Boston Bruins, who'll play twice in Munich – the hometown of Draisaitl's German teammate JJ Peterka – with opponents for both teams  yet to be determined and details to be announced during the 2026-27 season.

Returning to Germany for the 2027 NHL Global Series showcases the strength of German-developed NHL talent, led by native stars who continue to elevate the country’s hockey presence on the global stage. Leon Draisaitl is the highest-scoring German player in NHL history, with more than double the points of the next highest scorer, and has earned multiple League awards since being drafted third overall in 2014.

In 2025-26, Draisaitl became the first German player to record 1,000 career NHL points and captained the country to its best finish at an Olympic tournament featuring NHL participation (sixth place), topping Team Germany with seven points in five games.

The games will mark the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh NHL regular-season games played in Germany, with the first dating back to Oct. 8, 2011, when the Buffalo Sabres faced the Los Angeles Kings at O2 World in Berlin. 

The NHL and NHLPA will bring NHL regular-season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons, starting with this year’s 2026 NHL Global Series Germany on December 18 and 20, 2026, at PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, featuring the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks.