Welcome to Miami: Rangers Set for the Winter Classic

Setting The Stage

As the NHL calendar turns to January, the focus turns toward one of hockey’s most cherished traditions: the Winter Classic. Tonight, the New York Rangers face off against the Florida Panthers under the open sky of loanDepot Park in Miami, marking the first outdoor NHL game ever played in Florida.

From bucket hats to crisp Winter Classic sweaters, the spotlight shifts south, where the Blueshirts prepare to take the ice for the NHL’s 44th outdoor game.

While this setting may be new, the Rangers are no strangers to the outdoors. This will be the Blueshirts sixth outdoor game and third Winter Classic.

The most recent outdoor game the New York Rangers played was the 2024 NHL Stadium Series matchup against the New York Islanders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on February 18, 2024 — a thrilling 6–5 overtime win for the Rangers.

The Rangers enter this outdoor stage with a perfect 5-0 record in NHL outdoor games.

Memories for a Lifetime

As practice came to an end yesterday afternoon, the team welcomed their families onto the ice, sharing this moment with the people who have been a part of their journey from the very start.

Head Coach Mike Sullivan reflects on what moments like these represent, sharing, “I think for the players and their families, it’s an opportunity to create lifelong memories...For us to have an opportunity to share [this event] with those people is a great way to say thank you for everything they have done for us over the years.”

Out Here In The Fields

As puck drop approaches, breakaways will soon replace home runs on a field transformed.

Friday night is sure to be a spectacle in South Florida and the excitement of outdoor hockey on the national stage extends far beyond the ballpark.

“The amount of people that watch the game, that sit in the stands, the hype around it,” said Mika Zibanejad. “It becomes a build up to a special game.”