The league announced the game on January 8, 2025, alongside the 2026 NHL Stadium Series. Both games will be the first ever outdoor NHL games to be played in the state of Florida, as the Stadium Series will be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.[1] The game will also be the Florida Panthers' first game in Miami since 1998. The Rangers were chosen as the opponent in hopes of drawing a large traveling fanbase to the event (as there are many New Yorkers who live in South Florida), which despite declines in television viewership continues to be a solid in-person draw for the league.[2]
This is the second consecutive year the league has attempted to schedule the Winter Classic on a day that is not its traditional New Year's Day time slot. As part of a gentlemen's agreement between TNT and ESPN, who share American rights to the NHL and the College Football Playoff, TNT moved the Winter Classic out of the windows used by the Playoff quarterfinals, which now occupy all of New Year's Day afternoon and evening as well as prime time New Year's Eve. The previous season's attempt to move the Winter Classic to December 31 before the first quarterfinal game was unsuccessful due to a number of factors, among them viewers being unable to watch the game due to being at work on a non-holiday, viewers being unaware the game had been moved off New Year's Day, and competition from non-Playoff bowl games;[3] for 2026, the league will attempt to schedule it on the day after New Year's Day, which poses many of the same issues.[4]
A special concrete-and-steel, climate-controlled dome will be constructed over the playing surface during construction, then removed at game time to shield the surface from Florida's tropical climate, in the hopes of avoiding rain damage or a repeat of the sun damage delays that had occurred with the 2021 outdoor Lake Tahoe games.[2]
Broadcasting[]
In the United States, broadcasting rights to the game are held by TNT, with sister channel TruTV simulcasting, and streaming on Max. In Canada, rights are held by Sportsnet with streaming on Sportsnet+; it is the last Winter Classic to be covered under the NHL's current English Canadian broadcast contract with Rogers Media, which expires in 2026.[5]
