“NHL Set to Become Second Big Four Sport to Bring Regular-Season Game to Australia”

The National Hockey League is poised to become the second of North America’s “Big Four” sports competitions to bring a regular-season game to Australia — and that could happen as early as this year.

According to reports from the United States, the NHL is in talks to play games here to begin the 2023-24 season, which is slated to begin in mid-October. David Pagnotta, the editor-in-chief of the site the fourth period tweeted that it was “everything but a suspension,” with only logistics and the teams involved still to be determined, citing the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks as possible contenders.

Nathan Walker is just one of two Australians in the NHL. Now this is where the competition could come from.Credit:Getty

“Have we been approached multiple times over the years by promoters in Australia who would like to bring NHL games there? Absolutely,” said NHL Assistant Commissioner Bill Daly. “Has a final decision been made on this? NO.”

Although nothing has been confirmed, industry sources contacted by this legal notice have long been aware of discussions about bringing professional ice hockey to Australia – although to make the venture commercially viable it would require the conversion of either a large indoor arena or even one Outdoor stadiums would require becoming an ice hockey rink, which is a very expensive and logistically difficult exercise.

Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium seems like the most obvious venue for the NHL because of its roof, and the timing also aligns with the end of the AFL season in September.

Sydney recently has experience transforming existing stadiums for major American sports after rebuilding the Sydney Cricket Ground for the inaugural series of the 2014 Major League Baseball season to a sold-out crowd.

But the NHL is no stranger to playing hockey outdoors, with games played in outdoor stadiums across North America — while also regularly hosting exhibition games outside of the US and Canada since the 1930s.

Since 2007, regular-season NHL games have also been played for competitive points in Europe.

Source: www.theage.com.au