The NHL is hosting the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium, the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes (current National Champions that came out of the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff).
The league is expecting over 90,000 fans to be watching live as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings in their franchise's inaugural appearance in an outdoor contest. This game will mark the fifth appearance in an outdoor setting for the Red Wings; they've gone 2-0-2 in the previous four (two Winter Classics, a Centennial Classic, and a Stadium Series).
Don't worry Blue Jackets fans, the word on the street is that their 1,500-pound cannon will in fact be there rink side, and that it will be louder than at Nationwide Arena.
Where are the Red Wings and Blue Jackets in the playoff race right now?
We're at a place in the season where every point matters and the feel of these games is just a little bit more like we've already reached the post-season. This match-up on Saturday is, in the standings, as close as you can get. Right now these two teams occupy the two Wild Card spots in the incredibly crowded Eastern Conference; Detroit with 66 points (30-22-6) and Columbus with 64 (28-22-8).
The NHL scheduled a home-and-home series for these two teams, as the Thursday before the outdoor spectacle, the Blue Jackets head to Detroit and face the Red Wings for the second time this season. On Jan. 2 Detroit squeezed out a late 5-4 win and have a leg up on the season series so far. The implications for points here is remarkable and the league is probably patting themselves on the back right now for their "genius" scheduling.
If Columbus wins this first leg of the back-to-back in Detroit, the two teams will then each have 66 points heading into the battle out at "The Horseshoe" on Saturday. If Detroit wins, they would inch higher up in the standings with 68 points and Columbus would stay where they are, at 64. Depending how the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins fare in their respective games before Saturday (they each have 62 points), one could sneak into last Wild Card spot with a win, pending the tie-breaker.
So much movement, so little time!
Who has the edge in the Stadium Series?
Since Dec. 26 the Red Wings have gone 17-5-2 after replacing head coach Derek Lalonde with Todd McLellan. There's been a clear spark in their play since the coaching change; they've recently won nine of their last 11 games heading into Thursday. Their power play is second in the league at 29.2 percent. They have offensive production from all-around, starting with points leader winger Lucas Raymond who has 63 points on the season. Captain Dylan Larkin is close behind with 53 points and winger Alex DeBrincat leads the team in goals with 26. Defenseman Moritz Seider leads the blueliners with 35 points.
The Blue Jackets have a potential Norris Trophy-winning defenseman in Zach Werenski, who has stepped up greatly this season in wake of the tragic loss of teammate Johnny Gaudreau over the summer and a devastating injury to captain Boone Jenner in October that has kept him out of the lineup for 56 games (he was activated last week). Young center Adam Fantilli has contributed offensively as well, already surpassing last season's point totals so far with 35.
I think this game will be a physical grind, high-scoring, and immensely entertaining. The Blue Jackets look really solid out on the ice but I'll give the edge to the Red Wings. They're not strangers to an outdoor game and they're in a groove right now. It has been a very long eight seasons since they've made the playoffs; they're not going to let this slip away now.
It's crunch time!