The Detroit Red Wings will play a rare 2 p.m. Eastern Time puck drop against the Nashville Predators on Monday, a scheduling adjustment made by the NHL to accommodate European viewers. The game, originally slated for a traditional evening start, will now start at 8 p.m. Central European Time, according to a press release from the league.
The shift is part of a broader NHL initiative to increase engagement with international fans, particularly following the success of last month’s NHL Global Series Sweden and heightened interest surrounding NHL players’ participation in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games. “Coming off the tremendous fan response to the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden last month, coupled with the huge excitement surrounding NHL players participating in the Olympic Winter Games this coming February, we wanted to provide our international fans the opportunity to see more prime-time hockey during the week,” said Keith Wachtel, the NHL’s president of business.
The Red Wings, coming off a 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, will feature a roster with significant international representation. German defenseman Moritz Seider, Austrian forward Marco Kasper, and six Swedish-born players are among those expected to participate. The Predators will counter with Swedish star Filip Forsberg, Swiss captain Roman Josi, and several Finnish players. Nashville participated in last season’s NHL Global Series Sweden.
Detroit captain Dylan Larkin had one assist and four shots in 16:09 of ice time during Saturday’s game in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes scored the first of their two unanswered third-period goals at 2:18, extending their lead to 4-2, according to a recap of the game. Goalie Cam Talbot made 30 saves in his first start since January 22 for the Red Wings, who have an 11-5-2 road record since December 6. Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots for Carolina, helping the Hurricanes win their fifth straight game and extend their point streak to 12.
“They’re a heck of a team,” Larkin said after the loss, as reported by NHL.com. “This represents a hard building to play in…They’re the class of the East, and you got to come in here at some point and get points. I just didn’t feel we executed. We allowed them to be on top of us and come back in waves on Talbs.” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan echoed Larkin’s assessment, stating that many of Carolina’s offensive opportunities stemmed from Red Wings’ mistakes.
The NHL stated that the scheduling change also aims to create a “fun and memorable experience for fans in the Nashville market with a unique matinee game.”
