NHL Sense Arena ’26 Cover Photo and Additional Graphics Available Here
PRAGUE, Czech Republic, and TORONTO (Nov. 5, 2025) — Sense Arena, the global leader in virtual reality sports training, today announced a landmark partnership with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) to transport NHL players and teams into virtual and mixed reality for the very first time with NHL Sense Arena ’26.
This groundbreaking partnership will allow fans to train and face shots from the likes of NHL All-Stars including the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, and Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk, and try to score on top-flight NHL goalies like the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Seattle Kraken’s Joey Daccord.
Building on the momentum of its successful partnership with the NHL, NHL Sense Arena is the first and only licensed NHL and NHLPA virtual and mixed reality hockey platform, that will deliver the most immersive and authentic VR hockey experience ever created.
Powered by the likenesses of the league’s biggest stars, NHL Sense Arena ‘26 will drop fans straight into the action to skate alongside their favorite NHL stars, score off their passes, and face their hardest shots.
NHL Sense Arena ‘26 is available to download today and is compatible with the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 3S, while pairing with standard hockey equipment.
“This partnership with Sense Arena is an exciting opportunity to bring fans closer to the incredible talent of NHL players,” said NHLPA Chief Commercial Officer, Steve Scebelo. “By stepping into the virtual world, fans everywhere can experience the speed and skill of NHL players up close. This is truly a dynamic new platform that will showcase the talents of the players and bring fans closer to the action in a way they have never experienced before.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the NHLPA to further bolster our cutting-edge VR platform, creating a first-of-its-kind experience for NHL fans and hockey players of all abilities,” said Sense Arena Founder and CEO Bob Tetiva. “The future of hockey training and fan engagement is evolving, and we’re excited to push the boundaries of innovation with the help of the NHLPA.”
“I feel fortunate to have had the privilege of playing in the NHL for nearly 10 years, and historically only the most elite hockey players have had the opportunity to step on the ice in the NHL and compete against the best players in the world,” said former NHL defenseman and current Sense Arena Hockey Development Director Andrew Alberts. “This collaboration allows us to share the NHL playing experience with a wider audience, offering a taste of what it’s like to play alongside the sport’s biggest stars in an entirely new way.”
In addition to individual training modules, NHL Sense Arena ‘26 includes a new 3-on-3 gameplay mode which allows users to take the ice as a member of their favorite team and compete in a full 82 game NHL season. The module also includes a management mode, which allows users to set lineups, build rosters, and acquire new players.
Earlier this fall, Sense Arena unveiled DanglePro, the first-ever mixed reality stickhandling module within NHL Sense Arena. Using a player’s own hockey stick and an off-ice puck, DanglePro creates a 100 percent authentic training experience that blends hockey IQ with puck control development. DanglePro expands the platform beyond cognitive hockey training to hands-on skill development and is available exclusively on the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S.
Sense Arena originally launched its ice hockey VR technology in 2018, providing a cutting-edge off-ice training platform for skaters and goalies of all ages to train in confined spaces and non-traditional environments such as basements, garages, hotel rooms, and more.
Sense Arena is currently used by five NHL teams, as well as many individual players and goalies, including Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord, and the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s first-ever No. 1 overall pick, Taylor Heise.
Additionally, Sense Arena is the Official Virtual Reality Training Tool of USA Hockey and is used by 17 Men’s and Women’s NCAA Division I hockey programs. To date, more than 450,000 individual users across 40 countries have benefited from Sense Arena’s training by participating in close to 9 million drills.
New users can get started by downloading the NHL Sense Arena app inside the Meta Quest headset and learn more by visiting https://www.sensearena.com/.
