NHL Legends, Stanley Cup Champions and Current NHL Players Back Ireland’s Prime Arena Vision
Dublin, Ireland, 13 May 2026 — Ice Hockey Hall of Famers, Stanley Cup champions and current National Hockey League (NHL) players have backed Ireland’s proposed Prime Arena development in Dublin, in what is emerging as one of the most ambitious transatlantic sports and entertainment projects ever undertaken in Ireland.
Prime Arena Holdings today confirmed that a group of past and current NHL players have invested in the company’s proposed €250m arena development, marking a major endorsement from elite figures across global ice hockey.
The investment marks a major milestone in delivering Prime Arena’s vision for Ireland’s first true North American-style arena platform, including the country’s first permanent Olympic-standard ice facility, its first professional hockey franchise, and a leading international live entertainment destination.
Planned for Cherrywood, Dublin, the project will feature an 8,000+ capacity arena, expandable to over 10,500 for major events, alongside two Olympic-sized ice rinks. Prime Arena sees a clear opportunity to position Dublin as a future gateway city for hockey, live entertainment, and North American sports culture in Europe.
The NHL investor group includes:
Rob Blake — Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Stanley Cup champion and former General Manager of the Los Angeles Kings
Pat Flatley — former Captain of the New York Islanders, Canadian National Team player and Islanders Hall of Fame inductee
Cory Cross — former NHL defenceman and two-time IIHF World Champion with Team Canada
Glen Murray — former 1,000+ game NHL player and top-line scorer with the Boston Bruins
Jake Evans — current NHL player with the Montreal Canadiens
Alex Newhook — Stanley Cup champion and current NHL player with Montreal
Dermot Rigley, Founder and CEO of Prime Arena Holdings, said the involvement of NHL figures was a major validation of both the project and Ireland’s growing international positioning:
“To see Stanley Cup champions, Hall of Famers and current NHL players backing a project in Dublin is an extraordinary validation of both the vision and the scale of the opportunity.
This is about far more than an arena. This is about bringing Ireland into the global hockey and live entertainment conversation and building a new transatlantic sports and entertainment platform between Europe and North America.”
Patrick Flatley said the project represented a unique opportunity to help establish hockey infrastructure and culture in a major international city:
“Our family is from Urlaur, Co.Mayo and emigrated to Canada in 1957. I had 2 older brothers who my Dad put into Hockey because it reminded him of hurling and I followed in their footsteps.
I’ve been going to Ireland since our Dad passed away in 1993 and I’ve asked myself every time why isn’t there hockey in Ireland? We are so proud to be a part of the Prime Arena group and look forward to Ireland winning a gold in hockey one day!”
From Stanley Cup champions and Hall of Famers to current NHL players and senior hockey executives, the project is increasingly attracting figures who believe Ireland represents one of the most exciting, untapped opportunities in international hockey and live entertainment.
Prime Arena is being designed by global sports architecture firm Populous whose portfolio includes Sphere, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Yankee Stadium and Climate Pledge Arena, with CAA ICON acting as Owner’s Representative on the project.
