3 international hockey trips that Vegas Golden Knights fans should make
The game of hockey is an international affair, with fans enjoying the game across the globe. Here are three places Golden Knights fans should watch a game from.
Have you ever wanted to travel the world and see what lies beyond North America? What about going to Asia and exploring Phuket, Thailand? Perhaps visiting Barcelona is your thing? Whatever the case, traveling offers a person the chance to broaden their worldview and see things in a different light.
That's especially true with the NHL, which has done an extraordinary job expanding the game globally. This season, the league will have two regular season series happening in Europe. The first will be between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. That contest will go down on October 4th and 5th.
The second will be a series between the Dallas Stars and Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. That will happen a month later in Tampere, Finland at the Nokia Arena, with the matchup happening on November 1st and 2nd. Both series will offer European fans the chance to see the best players in the league, whether it's Matthew Tkachuk or Jason Robertson.
But what about the Vegas Golden Knights? When will they get the grand opportunity to travel overseas and experience the world? It's a silly question since most of the Golden Knights roster doesn't hail from the United States. There are players like William Karlsson (Stockholm, Sweden), Tomas Hertl (Czech Republic), and even Akira Schmid (Bern, Switzerland).
Still, many fans probably haven't traveled outside North America, let alone the country. After all, 0.48 passports per American are in circulation, according to USAFacts. Therefore, it's a good time to grab one in case the Golden Knights have an overseas game. With that, here are three destinations that would be awe-inspiring to see Vegas play.
Stockholm, Sweden
The Vegas Golden Knights have plenty of talent hailing from Sweden. That includes Karlsson (Stockholm) and newly acquired wingers Victor Olofsson (Ornskoldsvik) and Alexander Holtz (Saltsjo-Boo). Vegas also has prospects that come from Sweden, including Carl Lindbom. The trip would honor the franchise's ties to the country, especially with an "Original Misfit" hailing from the region.
Plus, Sweden has plenty of good players coming from the country. That includes Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo), Elias Petterson (Vancouver), and Filip Forsberg (Nashville). There are even legendary players that come from the area, including Nicklas Lidstrom, Mats Sundin, and Peter Forsberg. With the hockey pedigree, Golden Knights fans can experience the sport at the highest level.
The venue would be Avicii Arena, located in Stockholm Globe City. The arena is undergoing renovations to host the 2025 IIHF World Championships and a possible Winter Olympics bid in 2030. Imagine going to a hockey game in a stadium representing the sun in the Sweden Solar System. That same stadium would be one that would leave Golden Knights fans in awe.
Prague, Czech Republic
The Golden Knights don't have as many superstars from the Czech Republic as they do from Sweden. However, a big name was recently acquired by the team. His name is Tomas Hertl and he came from the San Jose Sharks in a trade. The native of Prague isn't the only player from the Golden Knights organization to come from the Czech Republic, though.
There's also Matyas Sapovaliv, who's a budding prospect within Vegas's farm system. Like Hertl, Sapovaliv also comes from Prague. He's been a successful player in the amateur ranks, winning the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit. Hertl won't be the only Czech Republic star that'll help Vegas in the future.
If Vegas does play in this wonderful country, the arena would be the O2 Arena. The venue will host two games between the Devils and Sabres, drawing international interest from within the country. Considering the Czech Republic won the 2024 IIHF World Championship (their seventh), it would be a nice trip for Golden Knights fans to check out.
Helsinki, Finland
This one's more of a personal endeavor since the Vegas Golden Knights don't have any current names of prominence on the roster. There's only Christoffer Sedoff from Helsinki and he's not projected to make the starting lineup. However, there have been notable names from past Golden Knights rosters.
That includes Erik Haula, who hails from Pori, Finland. He played two seasons in Vegas, scoring 29 goals and 26 assists in the inaugural season. He suffered a right leg injury that kept him out, getting surgery on his knee in December 2018. Haula was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on June 26, 2019, for Nicolas Roy and a conditional fifth-round pick.
As far as the venue goes, it would be Helsinki Halli. The arena has a capacity of 13,349 and is in the heart of Finland's most illustrious city. There's also Nokia Arena in Tampere, which will host a pair of NHL games on November 1st and 2nd. All three cities have the perfect atmosphere for hockey in a European city. Golden Knights fans should come to any of these three cities for an authentic hockey experience.
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