It’s official, the Utah Mammoth will host the 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the Colorado Avalanche, with the NHL’s premier outdoor game taking place in Salt Lake City. Playing in the Winter Classic is an honor, as is hosting it. Let’s take a look at the history of the event and everything you need to know before Utah hosts next January!
What is the Winter Classic?
The Winter Classic is the NHL’s premiere outdoor game. Held once a year in early January, the league brings hockey back outdoors while blending the local market’s style into the event. With fans traveling in from out of state to watch and people tuning in from all across the world, it’s one of the most iconic games in professional hockey.
The 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic will be played at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the on-campus football venue at the University of Utah.
History of the Winter Classic
When Utah hosts the Winter Classic, it’ll be the 18th edition of the yearly event. The first took place on Jan. 1, 2008, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres in Orchard Park, NY. The most recent was on Jan. 2, 2026, in Miami, FL, between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers.
Boston and Chicago have been the home team three times. Fenway Park (2010, 2023) and Wrigley Field (2009, 2025) have served as the event’s venue twice. Boston also played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA while the Blackhawks also had a game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN.
Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Ann Arbor, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Dallas, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Miami have all been the host cities for one Winter Classic. In addition, Buffalo was the home team in the 2018 edition at Citi Field, in New York, N.Y.
Utah will be the 14th team to host a Winter Classic game, and it will be the first NHL outdoor game in the Beehive State.
