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.

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.

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.

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