Regardless of what some followers might imagine, the NHL nonetheless finds success with these out of doors video games. Whether or not it’s the Winter Basic or the Stadium Collection, these video games are nonetheless widespread, particularly for the area internet hosting the sport. Simply take a look at final yr with the Winter Basic at Wrigley Subject and the Stadium Collection recreation between the Detroit Crimson Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Outside Video games Are Nonetheless Very In style for the NHL
That Stadium Collection recreation on the campus of Ohio State College, performed contained in the Horseshoe, drew file crowds and a file viewers on tv. An enormous motive was the playoff implications surrounding the Blue Jackets and Crimson Wings recreation. And for probably the most half, these video games have been in conventional cold-weather cities.
Nevertheless, there have been video games performed in Texas, Tennessee, and California. Now the NHL is being adventurous, bringing these out of doors video games to Florida, the brand new state of hockey, subsequent season. The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers within the Winter Basic on January 2nd, 2026, at Marlins Park. Then, a month later, the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins on February 2nd, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
As Steve Mayer, the NHL’s President of Content material & Occasions, advised Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, the out of doors video games that will probably be performed subsequent yr in Florida contain the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Mayer describes the distinctiveness of every recreation and the challenges of constructing the rink and getting it prepared for recreation day.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Information: State of Florida to Host 2026 Winter Basic and 2026 Stadium Collection
Jim Biringer: “Do you guys have designs already in place for these two video games, for particularly for the Florida Panthers recreation and the Tampa Bay Lightning recreation? As a result of after I heard that you simply guys had been going to 2 video games in Florida, I mentioned, Okay, I need to see these in particular person, as a result of I need to see what they do, as a result of each Stadium Collection or Winter Basic Sport is exclusive.”
Steve Mayer: “Yeah, these two are going to be as distinctive as we’ve ever performed. Yeah, we do have designs. We’ve been to Florida. In actual fact, final week we had been in Miami and in Tampa. We had been engaged on it, and your entire workforce is motivated, activated and energized, able to go. These are two of the extra attention-grabbing video games we’ve ever performed, and you possibly can simply think about why. There’s a slight threat, however we’re prepared and prepared to take it on.
Clearly, the Miami recreation goes to be totally different than the Tampa recreation. Miami, the stadium has a roof, so we’re capable of construct our rink and the ice within the consolation of, we’ll name it 50 levels, as a result of we’ll make it 50 levels within the constructing, and it’ll be completely advantageous. After which day of the sport, we’ll open up the roof and we’ll play some hockey. In Tampa, it’s going to be a lot totally different than Florida or Miami. I ought to say, in Tampa, we’re constructing primarily a tented warehouse to construct the rink beneath, contained in the stadium, inside Raymond James.
NHL Rumors: Florida Panthers, and 5 Potential Erik Karlsson Locations
So we’ll construct this warehouse construction first, then we’ll construct the rink beneath it, after which on the day of the sport, we’ll actually deconstruct this facility, the warehouse, and we’ll play hockey. And the chance, in fact, in Florida, is the climate, not solely the warmth, however rain, which they’ve been identified to get.
However we’re clearly going to take some probabilities, and we expect we’ll achieve success. We’re placing ourselves in the perfect place to achieve success, and it’s going to be a fantastic story. The content material that’ll come out of there, it’ll be very intriguing, to say the least.
After which, like, Florida is a hotbed for hockey, and I exploit the phrase hotbed, and I’ve to watch out of that, as a result of I don’t need it to be too sizzling. However we’re going to promote out each of those video games. The fan bases are, are simply crazed for his or her groups. And these video games, first time ever in Florida, first time ever for the Panthers to be in an out of doors recreation. So every part about it’s superior.
It’s going to be, it’s going to be fairly the occasion. And in my world, that’s fairly cool after we can say it’s going to be fairly the occasion.”
For years, followers in Florida needed these out of doors video games. Properly, now they’ll get them, and the hockey world can’t wait to see what occurs, and the NHL pulls it off.
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