The Florida Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic next season against the New York Rangers at Loan Depot Park in Miami, the NHL announced Wednesday. The game will take place on January 2, 2026.
“It’s going to be a little unusual,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said last week before the official announcement. “It’s going to be a little more unique, some people will think we’ve lost our minds. …And it’s going to be good.”
The 2026 Winter Classic will mark the first time the NHL will play an “outdoor” game in the state of Florida. It will also be the first involving the Panthers, leaving the Utah Hockey Club, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, as the only team to never participate in the event. The Chicago Blackhawks lead the way with seven appearances following their participation in this season’s Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.
In the press release, Bettman cited the recent string of Stanley Cup wins by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers as part of the reason to hold the Classic in Florida, as well as the growth of youth and high school hockey.
“NHL outdoor games in the Sunshine State? Never let it be said that our League is not willing to accept a challenge,” Bettman said.
No intrastate matchup against Lightning
The Rangers will play on the road in Stadium Series play, leaving many wondering why the NHL didn’t pick the Panthers’ natural rivals in the Tampa Bay Lightning. The reason is that the Lightning will have their own game at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on February 1.
“The Panthers and Lightning have repeatedly told us that they and their fans want this special experience,” Bettman said in the statement. “Starting on January 2 in Miami, when the Panthers host the Rangers in the Discover NHL Winter Classic, host a month-long celebration of hockey across Florida that will culminate in Tampa on February 1, when the Lightning host to the Bruins in the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series.”