MIAMI -- It’s beginning to look a lot like hockey at loanDepot park.
The dasher boards, glass, benches and penalty boxes are all up in preparation for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at the home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
On Tuesday afternoon, the NHL plans to start putting down the ice the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers will play on in the first outdoor ice hockey game in the Sunshine State on Jan. 2 (8 p.m. ET; HBO Max, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS).
Like all previous Winter Classics, there are even heated benches for the players, although this being Miami, that is more out of an abundance of caution than anything else.
"We’re pretty sure we won’t be turning those on this time," Dean Matsuzaki, NHL executive vice president of events, joked Tuesday morning.
Matsuzaki was sitting high above the busy activity on the field where the Marlins usually play baseball. But instead of a baseball diamond, a hockey rink stretches from the right field foul area to the left.
Soon, the large areas which surround the hockey rink will be transformed into a scene where a winter wonderland meets South Beach.
One half of the field will represent winter and will include a synthetic ice rink which will be in use while the Winter Classic is being played. On the other half, a Florida beach scene will be created with a street hockey rink being used.
The ballpark will have a capacity of 35,300 for the Winter Classic.
"Seeing how the rink fits on this field, it actually feels very intimate in this building," Matsuzaki said. "Some of the stadiums we go to are big football fields and there is a little separation. But this park has very little foul territory with the foul poles almost on the field. It’s a narrower field which makes things tighter -- so it’s great. This is a wonderful ballpark for this game."
On Tuesday, the many palm trees that sit just outside the large windows on the east side of the ballpark could be seen swaying in the breeze.
As Matsuzaki spoke, the large air conditioning units at the ballpark were doing their job.
It was 78 degrees outside loanDepot park Tuesday, but walking in felt similar to the Panthers’ home at Amerant Bank Arena about 35 miles northwest of here in Sunrise.
The NHL has brought not one, but two Mobile Refrigeration Units to help with the ice-making process.
The stadium’s retractable roof has been closed the past few days allowing the cool air to gather inside.
On the field, the ice will be built on top of 253 aluminum pans which are laid out in three rows with piping from the pans going to the Mobile Refrigeration Units.
The floor itself has been cooled down allowing for the ice making process to start.
"We have talked about the climate a lot, and that is a big challenge for us," Matsuzaki said. "That said, having the roof, a sealed building, and the air conditioning, we’re maintaining a much lower temperature than it is outside. We’ve mitigated a lot of the challenges, but we are watching it all very closely."
When it comes time for the game, the roof and the windows facing downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay will open, giving this Winter Classic a very tropical feel.
And, for those worried about the Miami heat, there is good news on the weather front.
The high for Miami on Jan. 2 is expected to be around 70 degrees -- with a low of 56.
There is no rain in the forecast.
"We welcome that," Matsuzaki said. "We would like for [the temperature] to drop a little bit. We have all intentions to open the roof for game time, so, every little bit helps."
