Hockey In the Great Outdoors

Now that the NHL has successfully pulled off its weekend at Lake Tahoe, complete with those stunning views and an eight-hour sun delay (it was literally cloudy everywhere except over the ice!), the options for future outdoor games really are endless.  It would seem that imagination is really the only thing that can hold them back.  It also leaves you wondering where they could possibly go next.

Outdoor games are a regular part of the NHL schedule now.  What's incredible about that is the novelty is yet to wear off.  That's a credit to the league for finding a variety of different venues and making each outdoor game unique.  They've been all over Canada and the U.S.  They've played in baseball parks, NFL stadiums, college football stadiums, soccer stadiums, and now, on a golf course.  They've even pulled off being outside in LA!

Between Winter Classics, Heritage Classics and the Stadium Series, there have been 30 outdoor games and 26 of the 31 teams have played in at least one (incredibly, Tampa Bay is one of the five).  There are still some existing NHL markets that are yet to host an outdoor game, but they are gonna run out eventually.  Which is why they're gonna get more and more creative with their outdoor venues.

Here are 10 places that I think would be amazing hosts for NHL outdoor games.  This list doesn't include any NFL stadiums in NHL markets.  That's too easy.  Nor does it include Montreal, which somehow hasn't hosted an outdoor game yet.  Rather, it's 10 places like Lake Tahoe.  Places that the NHL should consider simply because they'd be outstanding choices to hold an outdoor game.

Alaska: Mystery, Alaska came out in 1999.  What better way to celebrate the movie's 25th anniversary in 2024 than playing an NHL outdoor game somewhere in that state?  The Rangers were Mystery's opponent in the movie, so they'd obviously need to be one of the participants, but the options for the other team are really endless.  It could be Seattle or Vancouver, the two NHL teams closest to Alaska, one of their division rivals (Washington maybe?) or really the NHL's flavor of the month.

Banff, Alberta: Alternatively, they could play a game at Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, where they actually filmed the movie.  The choice of matchup here is easy: Oilers vs. Flames.  They could even play twice, with each team serving as the "home" team once.  Or one of them could play the Rangers.

Las Vegas Strip: This is something that has been begging to happen ever since Las Vegas was given an NHL team!  How amazing will this be?!  It was Las Vegas, of course, where the NHL played that outdoor exhibition game between the Kings and Rangers in 1991.  They set up that rink outside Caesar's Palace.  Whether they put it there or somewhere else on the Strip doesn't even matter.  It'll have the same effect wherever it is.  As for the Golden Knights' opponent, why not take it full circle and make it the Kings?

Salt Lake City: If Salt Lake City gets another Winter Olympics, an outdoor NHL game there would make a lot of sense.  They could either use the University of Utah's football stadium or the base of the ski jumps in Utah Olympic Park, which would be much cooler.  The Utah Grizziles are the ECHL affiliate of the Avalanche, and Colorado's also the closest NHL team to Salt Lake City, so they're the "host" in this one.  For their opponent, how about Dallas?  (If you're wondering about Lake Placid, there isn't really a suitable place to do one for the 50th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice in 2030.)

LA Coliseum: When MetLife Stadium hosted the Super Bowl, they had two Stadium Series games at Yankee Stadium.  So how about doing a Stadium Series game at the LA Coliseum in the lead-up to the 2028 Olympics?  You know NBC would be on board, seeing as they broadcast both.  Kings vs. Ducks?  Is that too cliche/obvious?

Daytona International Speedway: They played a Virginia Tech-Tennessee college football game in the infield of Bristol Motor Speedway a few years ago.  How about an NHL outdoor game on the home stretch at Daytona, with the rink right at the start/finish line?  Just think about how amazing that would be!  Even better, it would give the Lightning the chance not only to play in one, but to host one.  Plenty of choices for the opponent of the Stanley Cup champs.  I'm loving the idea of Tampa Bay vs. Washington, though.  And, logistically, it would have to be a Winter Classic so as not to interfere with Speedweeks in February.  (Daytona seems more fun than Indianapolis for some reason, but you could obviously do the same thing at Indy if you like.)

Maritimes: The Maritime provinces have been trying to get a CFL team for years.  It seems like it's eventually going to happen, but even if it doesn't, they already have a stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick that would work.  And an outdoor game in the Maritimes would be amazing!  You could have the Canadiens play the Bruins, giving all those Boston fans from Maine and New Hampshire a chance to make the short trip North.  Or, since Sidney Crosby is from Nova Scotia, you could also do Canadiens-Penguins.

National Mall: I understand that this one is incredibly unlikely to happen, but it would still be cool.  Set up the rink somewhere on the National Mall.  It could even be in front of the Capitol like the Inauguration if the government signed off on it (which they never will!).  Or you use the reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.  Either one would be awesome!  And the Capitals could play the Flyers, which has somehow never been an outdoor matchup before.

Mount Rushmore: Unlike a game on the National Mall, a game at Mount Rushmore seems completely doable.  Just imagine that stunning visual of the four Presidents watching in the background!  Minnesota's the closest team to the Dakotas, so you've probably got a lot of Wild fans there already.  They could take on the old outdoor game go-to team--Chicago.  And you could do it in 2026 to start the Sestercentennial Year.

Victoria, BC: Victoria is the capital of Vancouver Island and is only about 60 miles from both Vancouver and Seattle.  You see where I'm going with this, right?  Canucks vs. Kraken, meeting right in the middle.  It just makes way too much sense for this one not to happen!