The NHL announced two outdoor game sites and they are not where you'd expect them to be

Every year since 2008, the NHL has played at least one game outdoors whether it be in the Winter Classic, Stadium Series or Heritage Classic. Almost every time these games are scheduled, they're scheduled for cold weather sites because, you know, if it's too warm the ice will melt. Melted ice isn't great conditions for a hockey game.

Once in a while, though, the NHL will schedule a game for a warm-weather site. That's what they announced Wednesday. Two outdoor games played in 2026 will be played in the Sunshine State of Florida. The Winter Classic, on January 2, will be at LoanDepot Park in Miami and feature the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. Less than a month later in Tampa, on February 1, The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins in a Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.

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The first Stadium Series game was played at a warm-weather site, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California in 2014. The game between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings was played at 7 p.m. local time so the sun wasn't shining on the ice but the temperature for the game was still 63 degrees. It could be even warmer in Miami or Tampa.

The NHL is anticipating warm weather for both games in Florida -- because how could you not -- and will install a climate-controlled structure within Raymond James Stadium that will house the rink during its construction so it will be ready to go for an outdoor game. Similarly, the roof of LoanDepot Park will be closed during the construction of the rink for the Winter Classic but will be opened for the game, according to Front Office Sports.

There's obviously no way to know what the weather will be like in Miami or Tampa on those days, but on January 2 of this year, Miami hovered around 70 degrees from 7-9 p.m. In Tampa on February 1 of last year, the temperature was more conducive for an outdoor hockey game but still pretty warm at around 57 degrees.

Look, I understand wanting to get more cities checked off the outdoor game list, but Florida is pushing the limit. Needing all of this technology to create a rink and then making sure that rink doesn't melt in a game that is played on ice is going a bit too far.

What the league should have done is announce the 2026 Winter Classic in Utah. The Utah Hockey Club, which relocated from Arizona this season is announcing a permanent team name ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season and as the newest team in the league why not give them the Winter Classic? There's even two sites to choose from.

Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah is about a 15-minute drive from the Delta Center, where Utah HC plays its home games and holds over 50,000 people. If the NHL wants to go bigger, Lavell Edwards Stadium on the campus of BYU holds over 63,000 people but is closer to a 50-minute drive from Salt Lake City.

A Winter Classic between Utah and fellow Rocky Mountain team and rival, the Colorado Avalanche, would be a great way to get more interest in the home club and a matchup that needs to be featured in the future.

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