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Report: NHL To Play Six Outdoor Games Next Season

By Michael Straw

Jan 2, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view during the playing of the national anthem before the 2012 Winter Classic between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view during the playing of the national anthem before the 2012 Winter Classic between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 2, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view during the playing of the national anthem before the 2012 Winter Classic between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view during the playing of the national anthem before the 2012 Winter Classic between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s been talked about for months, and now the NHL is finalizing plans to have multiple outdoor games played during the 2013-2014 NHL regular season. The rumored set of games is reportedly going to be called the NHL “Stadium Series”, and will involve 11 teams.

The series of games will begin with the NHL Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Michigan on January 1, 2014 and will continue over the next three months with games in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Vancouver. It is expected that the NHL will officially announce the plans within the next two/three weeks.

The first three games after the Winter Classic will be held during the week-long build up to Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey.

The first will be the first ever outdoor hockey game in California when the Anaheim Ducks visit the Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium on January 25.  Then New York City will be the scene for two more games featuring the three New York Area teams. On January 26 it will be the New York Islanders vs the New York Rangers; January 29 will see the Rangers face the New Jersey Devils. Both games will be played at Yankee Stadium.

The last two games will be played during the annual Hockey Weekend Across America event during the weekend of February 28-March 2. On March 1, the Chicago Blackhawks will host its second outdoor game when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to Soldier Field.

A day later, the NHL will see the return of the Canadian Heritage Classic as the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators at B.C. Place, which happens to have a retractable roof.

Until it is officially announced, the participating teams could still change. There are still approvals to be granted by the organizations, but the formalities are expected to be handled in the coming days.

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