Edmonton Oilers head to Cologne for two regular-season games in 2027-28 NHL season

The Edmonton Oilers will open the 2027-28 NHL season in Germany, playing two regular-season games at Lanxess Arena in Cologne—the hometown of star player Leon Draisaitl—as part of the league's expansion efforts to grow hockey in Europe.

The Boston Bruins will simultaneously play two games in Munich, the hometown of winger J.J. Peterka. The opponents for both teams have not yet been determined, nor have specific dates been released.

"These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe's most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country."

This will be the Oilers' second participation in the NHL Global Series. They previously played exhibition games in Cologne and Gothenburg in 2018.

The Oilers' trip is part of a broader NHL push to establish regular-season play in Germany. The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators are already scheduled to play two games in Düsseldorf in December as part of this year's NHL Global Series Germany, with games set for December 18 and 20 at PSD Bank Dome.

The league and NHLPA have committed to bringing regular-season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons. The Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings previously played in Berlin in 2011, marking the first regular-season NHL games ever staged in Germany.