Professional Hockey Season Outlook
Professional hockey has proven itself to be dedicated to furthering both tradition and progress in the league. This season will be no exception. This league is always on the move, bringing new fans to the sport and retaining their loyal followers. Here’s what we have to look forward to in 2024-2025. Arizona’s Out, Utah’s In After a nerve-racking period of “will-they-won’t-they” that had Coyote fans on the edge of their seats, Arizona’s team will yield to the newfound Utah Hockey Club. In April 2024, it was reported that the Arizona Coyotes were attempting to relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah. Long story short, the team’s relationship with the City of Glendale was anything but friendly — or professional. After years of disputes over unpaid bills and revenue streams, the team was kicked out in the cold. To the heartbreak of diehard Yotes fans, throwing everything away and starting from scratch seemed like the only solution. Therefore, Utah is considered an expansion team. The Utah Hockey Club will play their inaugural season without an official name, mascot, or colors. These will be developed by next season. They will play in the Utah Jazz’s area, the Delta Center. It will be interesting to see how they perform, with former Arizona players Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, and Nick Schmaltz only getting better. In addition, two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev is joining the team after one of the biggest trades of the summer. Rule Changes A few rule changes will be implemented this season. Salary Cap Each team’s salary cap was increased to $88 million (US) for the 2024-25 season, an increase of $4.5 million from last season. The salary cap floor was increased to $65 million. This is a sign that revenues are strong, and the cap will continue to increase. 4 Nations Face-Off No All-Star game this year, folks. Instead, the league is holding the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Professional hockey is finally returning to Olympic participation for the 2026 games, and this is the special preview. Four teams, made up of league players from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States, will play seven total games between February 12 and 20. Boston’s TD Garden and Montreal’s Bell Centre will host the tournament. Many of the players who will be chosen for the four teams have international success already, and are itching to get back to the world stage. According to nhl.com, “This will be the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey 2016 in Toronto.” International Games The regular season will kick off with the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia, taking place October 4-5. The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils will face off in the first two games of the season at the O2 Arena in Prague. Both teams have new coaches, after their playoff hopes didn’t pan out. Lindy Ruff coached the Devils for nearly 4 years, until he was fired last spring. His first game as the Sabres head coach will be against his former team. The 2024 NHL Global Series Finland will take place November 1-2. The Florida Panthers, current Stanley Cup champions, will play the Dallas Stars twice at the Nokia Arena in Tampere. The Stars have been battling for a drink from Lord Stanley’s cup for the past few years, coming up just short too many times. Taking on the champs will be a good test for the Stars, and perhaps an early look at the next Stanley Cup Final matchup? Outdoor Games The Blues and Blackhawks are set for a rematch at the 2025 Winter Classic, this time in Chicago. The long-time rivals have played in more Winter Classics than most teams, and played each other in 2017 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Blues won 4-1. In addition, Chicago has lost all 4 Winter Classics they have played in. The Blackhawks will be looking to redeem themselves at Wrigley Field, where the crowd will likely be a good mix of both Chicago and St. Louis fans. The NHL Stadium Series continues at Ohio Stadium on the Ohio State University campus. The Stadium Series began in 2014, and has become quite the tradition. From Yankee Stadium to MetLife, the Stadium Series is fun and full of future opportunities. This year, the Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Detroit Red Wings on March 1. More than 100,000 fans are expected to fill the beloved stadium. Join SCA Promotions this hockey season! Hockey is growing, and SCA can help you capitalize on that. SCA Promotions adds to the fun of hockey games with exciting and engaging promotions. The half ice shot contest is one way they accomplish this, creating unforgettable moments for fans and sponsors. SCA Promotions offers smart planning, risk management, and a commitment to brands that will make this your best hockey season yet.
