NHL Stadium Series™: Series History & What You Need to Know for 2023

Outdoor ice hockey has a place in the hearts of all hockey and NHL® fan’s — the crisp air and the chance of snow brings a nostalgic feel to the origins of the sport. The NHL Stadium Series™ embodies this feeling, allowing players and fans to live out their dreams of watching and competing in an outdoor regular-season NHL® game. However, with advances in technology, outdoor games are no longer only for teams based in regions with a cold climate.

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When is the 2023 NHL Stadium Series™?

On February 18, 2023, the 2023 NHL Stadium Series™ will see the Washington Capitals® compete against the Carolina Hurricanes®.

Along with the NHL® Winter Classic and the NHL Heritage Classic™, the NHL Stadium Series™ is the only other outdoor regular-season NHL® game. This will mark the first outdoor game for the Carolina Hurricanes®, making them the 28th NHL® team to experience the special event that is an outdoor professional hockey game. The Washington Capitals® are 3-0 in their outdoor games, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins® in the 2011 NHL® Winter Classic (3-1), the Chicago Blackhawks® in the 2015 NHL® Winter Classic (3-2) and the Toronto Maple Leafs® in the 2018 NHL Stadium Series™ (5-2).

Where is the 2023 Stadium Series™ Being Played?

The 2023 NHL Stadium Series™ game will be held at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, home of the NC State Wolfpack.

stadium series seating chart
NHL Stadium Series™ seating chart

NHL Stadium Series™ History

The NHL Stadium Series™ is a unique regular-season NHL® game played outdoors in specialized arenas. Beginning in 2014, the first NHL Stadium Series™ game was held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles between the Anaheim Ducks® and the Los Angeles Kings® with the Ducks winning the Freeway Series 3-0. This was an extremely significant game in history for the NHL® because this was the first outdoor regular-season game to be held West of the Mississippi River, and the first to be held in a warm climate. This was not only a hockey game, it was an experience; famous Dodgers broadcaster, the late Vin Scully, announced the pregame ceremonies, Wayne Gretzky dropped the ceremonial puck and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers KISS performed in-between periods. Dodgers Stadium was also redesigned to allure attendees, creating a sand volleyball court, a roller rink, and a music stage to surround the ice rink in the center.

The 2014 NHL Stadium Series™ was the first of four NHL Stadium Series™ games that occurred in 2014. The other three were between the New York Rangers® and New Jersey Devils® at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York; the New York Rangers® and New York Islanders® (again at Yankee Stadium) and the Chicago Blackhawks® vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins® at Soldier Field in Chicago. One NHL Stadium Series™ game was played in 2015, two in 2016, and only one a year since 2017 (excluding 2021 due to COVID-19).

These NHL Stadium Series™ games are able to be played in warm-weather states because the NHL® has a very specific way of designing the ice rinks. According to NHL.com, “When the NHL builds an outdoor rink, a refrigeration truck pumps glycol through an aluminum floor to transfer heat. The crew mists fine layers of water on top of the floor for hours to produce a dense, thick sheet of ice worthy of an NHL® regular-season game.” It’s no surprise the outdoor regular-season NHL® games are a hit with the fans and the players. With the 2023 NHL Stadium Series™ being the first outdoor game for the Carolina Hurricanes®, a fun-filled day for all ages is expected in Raleigh, North Carolina.

 

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark NHL Winter Classic are registered trademarks and the NHL Winter Classic logo and NHL Stadium Series name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2022. All Rights Reserved.

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