The Kraken Are Going Global: Helsinki Awaits This Fall
Mark your calendars, because the Seattle Kraken are about to play their first-ever regular-season games outside North America, and it is a big deal. On November 12 and 14, the Kraken will face the Carolina Hurricanes at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki, Finland as part of the 2026 NHL Global Series. This is history for our franchise, and tickets drop on March 31.
A Kraken First on the World Stage
The Kraken are the 27th active franchise selected for the Global Series and its predecessors, which means they are joining an exclusive club. Since 1997, the NHL has staged 48 regular-season games at venues outside North America across six different countries on two continents. Eleven have been played in Finland alone, and seven specifically in Helsinki. Veikkaus Arena, formerly known as Hartwall Arena, last hosted a Global Series matchup back in 2018 between the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets. For some perspective, the Golden Knights, Seattle's fellow expansion team, still haven't played a regular-season game overseas. Not anymore. The Kraken just changed that.
General Manager Jason Botterill released a statement expressing the excitement: "We're extremely excited for the games in Finland next season. It's an honor to be a part of a premier international event like this for the NHL and showcase our team on the global stage. It's going to be an unforgettable experience for our team, and we hope as many Kraken fans as possible join us in Helsinki next year."
The Finnish Connection Runs Deep
This is the fifth straight year the NHL has taken regular-season games to Europe, and a huge part of the strategy is connecting with European fans. Here's where it gets interesting: just under 5% of active NHL players in 2025-26 are from Finland, which ranks fifth behind Canada (42%), the U.S. (28.3%), Sweden (9.8%), and Russia (6.6%). The Kraken happen to have two full-time wingers from Finland on the roster, both of whom won bronze for their home country at the 2026 Olympics. Kaapo Kakko was born in Turku, and the other is from Vihti. Kakko said it perfectly: "Doesn't matter where you're from, it's an honor to play in this league. We don't have too many players from Finland, so it's a big thing." And for Kakko personally? "Super excited. First time for me. See all the family… it's going to be fun."
Early Morning Hockey, Seattle Style
Here's the catch: Helsinki is 10 hours ahead of Seattle in November, so both games will kick off at early morning starts in the Emerald City. Think 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. PST. Tickets go on sale March 31 at 10 a.m. Eastern European Time, or 1 a.m. PST, through LiveNation. The Kraken are working with their partners to help fans arrange travel and plan events if you're thinking about making the trip overseas.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.