NHL officially opens European office in Switzerland

The National Hockey League now has boots on the ground on the other side of the pond.

The league officially announced on Monday the opening of its new office in Zurich, Switzerland, with the hopes of helping expand the NHL’s footprint across Europe.

The office initially opened its doors in August, with the plan of using the office as a spot to focus on strategy, development and operations in international markets. Among those objectives is media and sponsorship sales, with the office focusing on fan engagement and other initiatives.

With the move, senior vice president, international, Jaka Lednik, and senior VP of international partnerships, John Lewicki, have been relocated to Zurich.

Deputy commissioner Bill Day states the league is “at a pivotal moment in our global journey.”

“Establishing our corporate presence in Europe marks a critical step forward, allowing us to deepen our connection with international fans and partners alike,” Daly said in a release. “By investing in a new office, we’re positioning ourselves to further, and better, grow the game of hockey outside of North America.”

The NHL is committed to evolving its international business affairs, with the office bolstering the league’s commitment to grow intrigue for its packed calendar of events, including the upcoming Global Series in Sweden, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, as well as the World Cup of Hockey 2028.

The NHL has a media rights deal that helps deliver game broadcasts to over 250 countries and territories around the world. Starting this season, DAZN has debuted as the home of NHL.tv in nearly 200 countries and territories outside of North America and other nations. The goal of using the new platform is to help bolster the league’s international broadcast presence. Over the past eight years, the NHL has had programming windows on Saturday and Sunday in Europe to make live games available to fans in prime time.