The quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Friday, October 4. Here’s a look at key dates from the 2024-25 NHL schedule.
Aleksander Barkov and Miro Heiskanen will be right at home this weekend.
The two Finnish forwards will return to their home country for a pair of matchups between the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars as part of the NHL Global Series.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
The Panthers head abroad as the defending Stanley Cup champions, while the Stars have made the Western Conference Final in each of the last two seasons. Both teams are off to hot starts in 2024-25, with Florida leading the Eastern Conference standings and Dallas tied for second out West.
Here's everything to know before the puck drops in Finland.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
Where are the Panthers-Stars NHL Global Series games?
The Panthers and Stars will square off at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
When are the Panthers-Stars NHL Global Series games?
The Panthers and Stars will play two games in Finland beginning Friday.
- Friday, Nov. 1: Panthers vs. Stars, 2 p.m. ET
- Saturday, Nov. 2: Panthers vs. Stars, 12 p.m. ET
How to watch Panthers-Stars in Finland
NHL
Both games will air on NHL Network.
Finnish players on the Panthers and Stars
The Panthers have four Finnish players in captain Aleksander Barkov, forward Anton Lundell, forward Eetu Luostarinen and defenseman Niko Mikkola. Panthers assistant Tuomo Ruutu is also from Finland.
On the other side, the Stars have three Finnish players on their roster in forward Roope Hintz, defenseman Esa Lindell and defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
How many games has the NHL played in Finland?
The NHL has held 19 previous games in Finland: nine regular season and 10 preseason.
NHL Global Series 2024
The Panthers-Stars games are the final leg of the NHL Global Series for 2024.
The NHL regular season kicked off in early October with the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres playing two tilts in Prague, Czech Republic.
