NHL Winter Classic

NHL Winter Classic Quick Facts

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2024 DateJanuary 1, 2024
2025 DateJanuary 1, 2025

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NHL Winter Classic

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The NHL Winter Classic is an annual event where National Hockey League (NHL) teams play a regular-season game outdoors in a venue often associated with cold weather. The intention is to celebrate the sport's historical roots, originating from the frozen ponds of Canada's wide-open outdoor spaces. The spectacle sets itself apart from routine NHL games by bringing back nostalgic memories of childhood outdoor play, attracting massive audiences and fostering community involvement.

The first Winter Classic took place in 2008, with a face-off between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins taking place at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The inaugural match drew a TV viewership of 2.6 million, the most since the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals, paving the way for more of these engagements. Over the years, the Winter Classic has been held in several iconic venues including Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and The Big House at the University of Michigan.

Apart from the main match, the event also typically features minor league matches, alumni games, and other fan engagement activities to promote a festival-like atmosphere. The games are usually scheduled for New Year’s Day, adding to the spirit of celebration. This schedule has been a tradition since the beginning, with only rare exceptions due to extenuating circumstances. By holding the game at the start of the year, the NHL Winter Classic also serves as an exciting opener to a year of hockey.

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Facts about NHL Winter Classic

  • The Boston Bruins won against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 2-1 lead at the 2023 NHL Winter Classic. About 39,250 people attended the match at the Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • The 2022 NHL Winter Classic game in Minneapolis between the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota broke the record for the coldest game played in NHL history. The temperature at the start of the game was -6 degrees Fahrenheit and later dropped to -18 degrees.
  • An important part of the Winter Classic is the usage of throwback uniforms, both teams typically wear uniforms honoring their heritage or history, often ones no longer in current use.
  • The Winter Classic ranks among the NHL's highest-rated regular season games in the United States.
  • 2022 Winter Classic was the coldest NHL game ever. Held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the game-time temperature was -5.7 F (-20.9 C).

Top things to do for NHL Winter Classic

  • Keep up to date with any upcoming games. Despite the postponement of the 2021 NHL Winter Classic, the NHL plans to continue its season on January 1st, 2021.
  • Go ice skating or play hockey with some friends. Though the pandemic of 2020 has disrupted a lot, as long as you are abiding by CDC rules you can still enjoy many things.
  • Check out the 2020 NHL Winter Classic. Relive last year's event or catch it if you missed it.

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