Hurricanes return to Greensboro for first NHL preseason game since 1999
Greensboro will host its first NHL preseason game since 1999 when the Hurricanes face the Predators at First Horizon Coliseum on Sept. 24. The date could draw fans, fill hotels and give the city another pitch for bigger events.
A Sept. 24 visit from the Carolina Hurricanes could send more than hockey to First Horizon Coliseum: it will put Greensboro back on an NHL preseason stage for the first time since 1999 and give nearby restaurants, hotels and event planners another chance to measure the city’s pull. The Nashville Predators released their 2026 preseason schedule on June 25, setting the game for 6 p.m. CT at the 22,000-seat arena on West Gate City Boulevard.
The matchup will be Greensboro’s first appearance by the Hurricanes since 1999, when the franchise was still playing here while its permanent Raleigh arena was being completed. The Hurricanes described the game as part of a four-game preseason slate and called themselves the reigning Stanley Cup champions in the announcement. Nashville’s preseason will end with two games against Carolina, including the Sept. 24 game in Greensboro and a Sept. 26 rematch in Nashville at 2 p.m. CT.
First Horizon Coliseum, formerly Greensboro Coliseum, sits at 1921 West Gate City Boulevard and remains one of the city’s largest event spaces. The building is also becoming a hockey focal point again: the Carolina Hurricanes’ ECHL affiliate, the Greensboro Gargoyles, are tied to the arena as they begin their first season there. Scott Johnson, general manager of First Horizon Coliseum, said, “As the former home of the Carolina Hurricanes, tonight's announcement further adds to the growing excitement and anticipation surrounding the Gargoyles and the return of hockey to First Horizon Coliseum.”
The Gargoyles’ official site says the team will play 36 regular-season home games. That schedule, along with the Hurricanes’ preseason stop, gives Greensboro a rare concentration of professional hockey at a venue that has spent years proving it can host far more than concerts and college events. For local businesses around the coliseum district, the combination of visiting players, staff and out-of-town fans could mean an unusually busy late-September stretch.
The Predators also released the rest of their preparation calendar. Rookie camp will begin Sept. 11 in Nashville, followed by a rookie tournament in North Carolina on Sept. 13 and 14, then training camp on Sept. 16 in Nashville. Tickets for Nashville’s two home preseason games will go on sale later through Ticketmaster, and the Hurricanes said full details, including ticket information, for the Greensboro game will be announced later.
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