5 potential locations, matchups for the 2027 NHL Winter Classic
Photo Credit: NBC Sports
In less than 72 hours, the puck will drop in the first NHL outdoor game in Florida when the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers battle at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Friday, Jan. 2. Less than a month later, the league will return for another outdoor game in the Sunshine State when the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Boston Bruins in the Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium.
While there is already an outdoor game scheduled for 2027, with the Dallas Stars hosting the Stadium Series at AT&T Stadium, the location and matchup for the 2027 Winter Classic, the league’s marquee event, haven’t been announced.
Here are five locations and matchups that would make for the best Winter Classic next season:
1. Utah Mammoth vs Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
With the Panthers playing in the 2026 Winter Classic, the Utah Mammoth franchise, which dates back to the Arizona Coyotes, will be the only franchise to have never participated in an NHL outdoor game. With the rise of hockey fandom in Utah and the involvement of owner Ryan Smith in the sport and league, the Mammoth will play outdoors sooner rather than later. Some fans and analysts predict the Mammoth could be the Stars’ opponent in the 2027 Stadium Series. Despite being in the same division, Arlington, TX, and Salt Lake City, UT, aren’t exactly close to each other.
That is why the league will likely allow the Mammoth to host their first outdoor game, just like it did with the Panthers this season. Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah Utes, is the perfect location for an outdoor game in the Beehive State. With a capacity of just over 50,000, the college football stadium in East Salt Lake City hosted the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Just over three miles from the Delta Center, home of the Mammoth, Rice-Eccles Stadium will offer picturesque views of Salt Lake City’s snowcapped mountains.
Considering proximity and draw, the Colorado Avalanche would be the ideal opponent for the Mammoth. The Avalanche are another cold-climate team, less than eight hours away from Salt Lake City. The proximity between Denver and Utah’s capital would make traveling easier for fans. More importantly, the Avalanche would add to the spectacle and draw more attention to the game. The Avalanche are currently 29-2-7, with 65 points and an eight-point lead over the next-best record in the NHL. With the NHL’s leading goal scorer, Nathan MacKinnon, and reigning Norris Trophy winner, Cale Makar, the Avalanche have a plethora of elite talent to shine on a big stage.
2. Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers at Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
The Colorado Avalanche have not missed the playoffs since the 2016-17 season and won the Stanley Cup in 2021-22, yet they have never played in a Winter Classic. The Avalanche have played in the Stadium Series twice, most recently in 2020, hosting both times. They also featured in the league’s one-off NHL Outdoors series at Lake Tahoe in 2021. With a decade of success and a team filled with elite talent in net, on the back end and in the forward group, the Avalanche are long overdue for an appearance in a Winter Classic.
Having hosted games at Coors Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, in Denver, and at Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, there are only a few more unique venues within the state that haven’t featured in an outdoor game yet. While Empower Field at Mile High would be the leading candidate for hosting the event due to its 76,000 seats and impending permanent closure come 2031, the NHL tends to avoid National Football League stadiums for the Winter Classic because of scheduling congestion with the leagues. The next best option is Folsom Field in Boulder, home of the University of Colorado. The 50,000-seat stadium offers magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by the campus’ historic brick buildings.
The last Canadian team to play in a Winter Classic was the Montreal Canadiens when they beat the Boston Bruins at Gillette Stadium in 2016. They were just the second Canadian team to appear in the league’s marquee event, with the Toronto Maple Leafs beating the Red Wings in a shootout at Michigan Stadium in 2014. After signing a two-year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers in the offseason, next year could be Connor McDavid’s final season in blue and orange. Having four of the league’s best players in MacKinnon and Makar vs McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a Winter Classic should be a no-brainer for the NHL.
3. Washington Capitals vs New York Islanders, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
This would be the Washington Capitals’ third Winter Classic in franchise history and first since 2015. Their most recent outdoor game was in 2023 when they visited the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stadium Series. The obvious reason to include the Capitals in next year’s Winter Classic is the uncertainty of Alex Ovechkin’s future. The surefire first ballot Hall of Famer became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer last season, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s 894 career goals. Rumors have swirled that this could be Ovechkin’s final season in the NHL, with retirement or a return to play in Russia in the cards. The league could incentivize Ovechkin to play another season by having the Capitals host the Winter Classic in 2027.
The Capitals hosted the Winter Classic at Nationals Park in downtown D.C. in 2015 and hosted the Stadium Series at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD, in 2018. This Winter Classic would see the Capitals host the outdoor game at Maryland’s most historic stadium - Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The home of MLB’s Baltimore Orioles is regarded as one of the best stadiums in baseball, with a retro feel and modern features. The park has a capacity for just under 45,000 fans, but recent renovations could allow for more seats and standing-room-only areas during the Winter Classic. With no hockey team, many Baltimore residents root for the Capitals, given the closeness of the two major cities.
Despite being in one of the country’s biggest sports markets, the New York Islanders have not received the same treatment as the New York Rangers when it comes to playing in Winter Classics. The Rangers have appeared in two Winter Classics and will participate in a third in a matter of days, while the Islanders, who have been around since 1972 and won four straight Stanley Cups from 1979-83, have not played in a Winter Classic. Sparked by the 2025 first-overall pick, defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the Islanders and their rookie sensation have shocked the league this season, sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division. This matchup would be a rematch of the game in which Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal to become the league’s all-time leading goal scorer.
4. Carolina Hurricanes vs Detroit Red Wings, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
The Carolina Hurricanes got their first taste of outdoor hockey in 2023 when they hosted the 2023 Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC, beating the Washington Capitals 4-1. Carolina is known for its passionate hockey fans, which was shown during the Stadium Series and has been on display for the Hurricanes’ seven consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes boast a slew of talented players, highlighted by forwards Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho. The Hurricanes have been to the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons, but fell to the Panthers both times.
The Winter Classic has been hosted at an NFL stadium just three times, with the last being played at Gillette Stadium in 2016. However, with Charlotte rapidly growing and approaching a population of one million, an exception can be made to host a Winter Classic in an NFL Stadium again. While Charlotte is 166 miles from Raleigh, where the Hurricanes call home, the team represents the whole state, not just the location they play in. Charlotte is a growing sports city, with fans trekking to Bank of America Stadium to see the Panthers exceeding expectations or to support Charlotte FC, which began playing in Major League Soccer in 2022. Bank of America Stadium seats just over 75,000, and its close-up views of the downtown Charlotte skyline would make for an appealing venue.
After playing in two of the first six Winter Classics, the Detroit Red Wings have only featured in three outdoor games since, none of them Winter Classics. It is a surprising stat for an Original Six team, considering the league is constantly cycling through some of its most historic teams to play in its marquee event. Just like the Hurricanes, the Red Wings sit atop their division and boast a young, talented team. Perhaps an even bigger storyline for the NHL and the Red Wings would be the possible return of Patrick Kane to the Winter Classic. The 37-year-old signed a one-year contract to stay with the Red Wings last summer and could look to stay beyond this season, especially if a Winter Classic was on the horizon. Kane was winless and goalless in four Winter Classic appearances with the Chicago Blackhawks.
5. Los Angeles Kings vs Anaheim Ducks, Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
The NHL has made a habit of hosting outdoor games in some of the country’s biggest stadiums. Last year, the league hosted a Stadium Series game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, which had an attendance of 94,751, making it the second-highest attended game in NHL history. The highest-attended game was the 2014 Winter Classic, which saw 105,491 fans attend Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor to watch the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. The 2027 Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium has the chance to eclipse those records.
With the league looking for large, historic venues, look no further than the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Known as “America’s Stadium,” the Rose Bowl is the 20th-largest stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of 89,702. Along with hosting college football and the Rose Bowl Game each year, the stadium was the main stage for the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final and the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. The Rose Bowl will be a host stadium for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
The Los Angeles Kings would be the designated home team for the Winter Classic, with the stadium being 10 miles outside of downtown LA. The Kings have played in three outdoor games, all Stadium Series matchups. A dominant force in the early 2010s, winning two Stanley Cups, the Kings are another historic franchise without an appearance in the Winter Classic. The Kings and Anaheim Ducks would play a rematch of the 2014 Stadium Series when the Ducks beat the Kings at Dodger Stadium. The Ducks boast a young and talented roster that has exceeded expectations this season and will likely be a playoff team by 2027.
