NHL Stadium Series: Series History & What You Need to Know for 2027

Update (August 12): This article has been updated with the latest information for the 2027 NHL Stadium Series.

Outdoor hockey has a place in the hearts of all NHL fans — 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. Check out our NHL ticket-buying guide if you’re looking to attend the NHL Stadium Series.

When is the 2027 NHL Stadium Series?

The 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series will take place on February 20, 2027 with the Dallas Stars competing against the Vegas Golden Knights. Along with the NHL Winter Classic, the NHL Stadium Series and NHL Heritage Classic are the only other annual outdoor regular-season NHL games.

Where is the 2027 NHL Stadium Series Being Played?

The 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series games will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

Who is performing at the 2027 NHL Stadium Series?

The performance lineup for the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series has not been announced. The NHL Stadium Series traditionally features live music during the game’s first intermission, previously headlined by artists such as Tim McGraw, Twenty One Pilots and Keith Urban.

NHL Stadium Series History

The NHL Stadium Series is a unique regular-season NHL game played outdoors. 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 Face-Off, 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, NHL legend and former Kings star Wayne Gretzky dropped the ceremonial puck and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers KISS performed in-between periods. Dodgers Stadium was also temporarily 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 inaugural Ducks-Kings matchup 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. After one NHL Stadium Series game was played in 2015 and two in 2016, the NHL season has typically held one Stadium Series game per year since 2017, with the exception of 2021, when no game was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2024, when two games were hosted over one weekend at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

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.