Sebastian Aho of the Carolina Hurricanes said on March 23 that he is looking forward to playing in his home country of Finland as part of the upcoming NHL Global Series this November, where the Hurricanes will face the Seattle Kraken.
The announcement marks a significant moment for both Aho and Finnish hockey fans, who will have an opportunity to see one of their own play at home after his contributions to international and professional hockey. The two-game series is set to take place in Helsinki, approximately three hours from Aho’s birthplace of Rauma.
Aho recalled watching the Hurricanes as a teenager during their previous appearance in Finland. “Very excited. Happy. I’ve been dreaming about it for 10 years,” he said. “When they announce the teams [for these games], you usually don’t see Carolina there, and you’re always like, ‘Bummer.’ But [this is] worth the wait.” He added that playing in front of family and friends who rarely get to see him live will be special: “I’m pumped to go there and play in front of people who have been close to me and haven’t had the chance to travel here often, or at all. That’s going to be special.”
The Hurricanes’ trip comes shortly after Aho helped Finland secure a bronze medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He spoke about how important hockey is within Finnish culture: “I think they’re going to enjoy it. Hopefully, we can put on a good show for them and win both games. That’s the goal…It’s such a big part of the whole country, and I know it’s going to be a good atmosphere at the games.”
Aho also shared plans for showing his teammates aspects of Finnish culture during their stay but kept some details private: “I don’t want to put it out there in the public just yet, but I have a couple of ideas…It’s no secret that the sauna is going to be part of it.” When General Manager Eric Tulsky informed him personally about playing in Helsinki, Aho said his teammates were supportive: “They were all like, ‘This is going to be so cool for you,’ … The reaction from the guys was that they were really happy for me, which tells you a lot about the team.”
The Carolina Hurricanes have recognized players such as Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour by inducting them into their Hall of Fame according to their official website. The team achieved its most notable milestone by winning the Stanley Cup championship in 2006 as reported by their official website.
Off-ice contributions are also significant; through events and community engagement efforts held at Lenovo Center Arena—the team’s Raleigh-based venue—the organization has an annual economic impact exceeding $200 million according to its official website. The Lenovo Center features over 700,000 square feet with multiple seating levels plus amenities such as suites and concession stands according its official website, accommodating up to 20,000 people while hosting more than 150 events each year as noted by its official site.
Reflecting on what this event means personally after over 700 NHL games played so far—and now returning home—Aho concluded: “When it’s all said and done, you’ll look back, and I’ll bet I’ll remember this for a long time…You get to play a game that you dreamed of as a kid…I think it’s going to be something I’ll remember for a long while.”
