Nationwide FAA Ground Stop Disrupts NHL Travel Ahead of Saturday Games

A four-hour FAA ground stop left the San Jose Sharks waiting at the airport for their scheduled trip to face Utah.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop for more than four hours on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, disrupting travel for the NHL and other professional sports leagues. Transportation officials attributed the stoppage to "extraordinary circumstances" involving communications problems at regional air traffic control centers. While the FAA announced that airplane departures could resume on Friday evening, the delay impacted teams preparing for a 14-game NHL slate on Saturday.

The San Jose Sharks were left waiting in San Jose during the stoppage to determine if they could travel for their road game against Utah. In contrast, the Florida Panthers were among the majority of teams that reached their destinations before the communications issues began.

Teams across the sports world utilized various contingencies during the four-hour window of uncertainty, including chartering buses and searching for emergency hotel accommodations. While the ground stop was lifted Friday night, the disruption forced multiple college football games to reschedule kickoff times and prompted some basketball teams to deplane and return to their home facilities. NHL teams affected by the delay were forced to adjust schedules to ensure arrival before Saturday's contests.