<p>Two of the NHL’s premier events are going to heat up…literally.</p>



<p>On Thursday, the league announced that the 2026 NHL Winter Classic will see the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations">Florida Panthers</a> host the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-rangers/line-combinations">New York Rangers</a>. The annual outdoor game will take place at LoanDepot Park, home of the MLB’s Miami Marlins, on Jan. 2, 2026.</p>



<p>Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be hosting the Boston Bruins in the Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Feb. 1.</p>



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Outdoor hockey? In Florida? We've got you covered!<br><br>🗓️: 2026 <a href="https://twitter.com/Discover?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Discover</a> NHL <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterClassic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinterClassic</a> – <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYRangers</a> vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlaPanthers</a> at LoanDepot Park on January 2<br>🗓️: 2026 <a href="https://twitter.com/NavyFederal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavyFederal</a> NHL <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StadiumSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StadiumSeries</a> – <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBruins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLBruins</a> vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBLightning</a> at Raymond James Stadium on February 1 <a href="https://t.co/URJwY4qPn0">pic.twitter.com/URJwY4qPn0</a></p>— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1877083985131495575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



<p>“Stanley Cups, strings of sellouts and the exponential growth of youth and high school hockey throughout the state have demonstrated that Florida is a hockey hotbed,” NHL Commissioner&nbsp;Gary Bettman said in a release. “Outdoor NHL games in the Sunshine State? Never let it be said that our League isn’t willing to accept a challenge.”</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="173"></div>



<p>Next year’s Winter Classic will be the southern-most outdoor game played in NHL history, surpassing the 2020 Winter Classic, when the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/dallas-stars/line-combinations">Dallas Stars</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/nashville-predators/line-combinations">Nashville Predators</a> met in the Cotton Bowl.</p>



<p>It will be the first time the Panthers have ever played in an outdoor game. <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/report-panthers-lightning-likely-to-host-outdoor-games-next-season"><em>Florida Hockey Now’s</em> George Richards</a> first reported that Florida would be hosting an outdoor game last week.</p>



<p>The Rangers have played in a few of these unique matchups. The Original Six franchise has played in five outdoor games in the past, standing with a perfect 5-0 record. A sixth outdoor contest for both the Rangers and Bruins will tie them for second-most all-time with the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/pittsburgh-penguins/line-combinations">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations">Philadelphia Flyers</a>.</p>



<p>The Blueshirts first played in the 2012 Winter Classic before playing both games at Yankee Stadium during the 2014 Stadium Series. The Rangers also played in the 2018 Winter Classic in Queens and one of the 2024 Stadium Series games in New Jersey.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="159"></div>



<p>The Bruins played in the third Winter Classic, hosting the Flyers at Fenway Park in 2010. This will be the first time they’ve played in the Stadium Series, as Boston appeared in the 2016, 2019 and 2023 Winter Classic, along with one of the NHL’s games in Lake Tahoe in 2021. The Bruins are 4-1 in outdoor games.</p>



<p>While this will be the Cats’ first contest played without a roof, their in-state rivals, the Lightning have appeared in one before. The Bolts beat the Predators in the Music City in a Stadium Series game in 2022. </p>



<p>With the Panthers playing in next year’s Winter Classic, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/columbus-blue-jackets/line-combinations">Columbus Blue Jackets</a>&nbsp;set to host the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/line-combinations">Detroit Red Wings</a>&nbsp;in the NHL Stadium Series on March 1, the only franchise in the NHL that will have yet to play an outdoor game is the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/utah-hockey-club/line-combinations">Utah Hockey Club</a>.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="142"></div>



<p>The league is banking on the placement of the Rangers, along with the exotic location of playing an ice hockey game in the Sunshine State, which will hopefully drive television ratings. The 2025 Winter Classic, which saw the St. Louis Blues hammer the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Eve, drew a <a href="https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/01/nhl-winter-classic-record-low-blackhawks-blues-new-years-eve/">disappointing average of 920,000 viewers</a> in the United States on <em>TNT </em>and <em>truTV</em>, the lowest viewership south of the Canadian border in the game’s history.</p>
