What is the NHL Stadium Series? History, differences from the Winter Classic

If you like outdoor hockey, the NHL Stadium Series is something you need to check out. The game has been played in February since 2015, and the series itself traces to 2014, when four games were played between Jan. 25 and Mar. 1 that year. 

The Stadium Series also takes place all over the United States, from New York City, to Los Angeles, and even in places like service academies in Annapolis, Maryland, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. These games often see substantially higher attendance numbers since they are most often played in NFL, MLB, and college football stadiums. 

Conversely, the NHL’s other major outdoor event, the Winter Classic, is played around the first of the calendar year, with the 2023 event taking place on Jan. 2, and the 2024 event slated for Jan. 1. While the Winter Classic is always an annual event, the Stadium Series can have multiple games in a single season, which has occurred in 2014, 2016, and 2024. 

While the Winter Classic first began play in 2008, it wasn’t until 2014 did the Stadium Series commenced. That year, the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-0 in the inaugural game at Dodger Stadium. 

The NHL Stadium Series has a brief, but interesting history

The New York Rangers played in a pair of games at Yankee Stadium in 2014, defeating the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders. Soldier Field hosted the third game in the series just over a month later, which saw the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a lopsided 5-1 win. 

The most lopsided win occurred on Feb. 21, 2016, when the Minnesota Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 in what was a home game for the former at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The largest attendance figures to date came during a game between the San Jose Sharks and the Kings exactly one year prior on Feb. 21, 2015, when 70,205 fans packed Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. 

On Mar. 3, 2018, the Stadium Series saw its smallest attendance, when just 29,516 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. However, this was also the smallest stadium the series has played a game in, as it holds a capacity of just 34,000. 

Since its inception in 2014, the Kings and Penguins have had the most appearances with three. But that will change in 2024, as the Rangers will make their third appearance in a game at MetLife Stadium against the Islanders, and the Flyers will also make their third the following day when they take on the Devils. 

Throughout its short history, the Stadium Series has proven to be popular, along with the Winter Classic. Don’t expect these outdoor hockey games to go away anytime soon, as they always seem to be in high demand. 

(Information provided by NHL Records)