Utah's Snowy Spectacle: NHL Awards 2027 Winter Classic to Salt Lake City
The National Hockey League is heading for the mountains. The league announced Wednesday that the 2027 Winter Classic, its premier outdoor regular-season event, will be hosted by the Utah Mammoth at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, with the majestic Wasatch Range providing the scenic backdrop.
In a matchup ripe with regional rivalry, the Mammoth will face the Central Division’s Colorado Avalanche. The game, scheduled during the Mammoth's third season of existence, marks a rapid ascension to the league's marquee stage for the young franchise, which was established in 2024 following the dissolution of the Arizona Coyotes.
"This is going to be incredible," said Mammoth center Logan Cooley at the announcement, which included NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. "To play an outdoor game in front of our fans in this setting... it’s a dream."
The venue itself is steeped in history. Rice-Eccles Stadium, home to the Utah Utes football team and a capacity of approximately 51,400, previously hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics and is slated to do so again in 2034. It will become just the fourth college football stadium to host the Winter Classic, breaking a recent five-year streak of the event being held in baseball parks.
For the Avalanche, this will be their fourth appearance in an outdoor game, bringing a veteran presence to the spectacle. The Mammoth, conversely, will become the 32nd and final NHL franchise to participate in an outdoor game, completing the league's outdoor circuit.
The announcement adds a new chapter to the burgeoning divisional rivalry. The Avalanche, currently leading the NHL with a stellar 31-4-7 record, have held a slight edge over the Mammoth in their brief history, holding a five-point advantage across six meetings. Their final matchup of the current season is set for February 25th in Salt Lake City, offering a potential preview of the future outdoor clash.
While the exact date for the 2027 game is still to be determined, the vision is clear: to blend the NHL's tradition of outdoor hockey with the iconic winter sports landscape of Utah, creating a unique spectacle for players and fans alike.
