Ohio Stadium hosted the NHL Stadium Series over the weekend in a matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The game drew a crowd of nearly 95,000 people, but the outdoor aspect of the matchup was one of the less-intriguing storylines.
Between the two teams, seven former University of Michigan Wolverines played in enemy territory.
Both teams faced each other two days before, and both are currently in wild card spots, fighting to keep themselves in the running for the playoffs.
Next year’s location has already been decided: The league will be taking the series down to Tampa, Florida at the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium.
The Stadium Series has successfully brought NHL games outdoors and to more fans. There are a few stadiums that can provide a historic, beautiful or exciting backdrop for future fixtures, and ones that fans would likely respond well to.
Rose Bowl Stadium at UCLA
This isn’t an obvious option, but, in 2014, the Anaheim Ducks played the Los Angeles Kings in Dodger Stadium, so the NHL has put an outdoor game in LA before. The ice might not be the best, but it can work.
The stadium is an icon of American sports. It’s home to the UCLA football team and college football’s Rose Bowl game.
Built in 1922, it has also been given National Historic Landmark status. The stadium has hosted all kinds of touring events like five Super Bowls, Olympic soccer matches, and two different World Cups.
The NHL could stand to continue to grow the game of hockey, and bringing special events to Southern California could put new eyes on the sport. The Rose Bowl could draw a huge crowd with name recognition alone.
Beaver Stadium at Penn State
Beaver Stadium is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions football team, and holds the second-highest seating capacity in the United States. It accommodates nearly 107,000 people, which is a daunting number in isolation, but wouldn’t be a huge stretch for the NHL
A 2014 Winter Classic matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Red Wings brought more than 105,000 people to the biggest stadium in the country at the University of Michigan.
There would be no other reasonable matchup other than the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, one of the most storied rivalries in the NHL.
Penn State is not a quick drive from either Pennsylvania city, but considering the preexisting college population and the attendance numbers of football games at the same venue, the distance would be an unlikely issue.
The league could go for an attendance record, but it should try and make this happen before beloved Penguins star Sidney Crosby leaves the team since the matchup, from a competitive standpoint, is lackluster.
Husky Stadium at University of Washington
Seattle recently hosted an outdoor game at T-Mobile Park, where the Seattle Mariners play, for the 2024 Winter Classic. This decision annoyed some fans considering the lack of history, both with the stadium itself and with hockey in the city.
However, Seattle proved itself a hockey city.
T-Mobile Park was nearly filled to its capacity, and the fish tossing and special jerseys — at least for the Seattle Kraken — were a hit.
If the NHL wants to continue to build the legitimacy of the Seattle market, Husky Stadium would provide a gorgeous backdrop to a Stadium Series game. With views looking out over Lake Washington, hockey would look great on that field.
Harvard Stadium at Harvard University
Harvard Stadium at Harvard University would not break attendance records or build the NHL’s audience, but it would be yet another iconic backdrop to a Stadium Series game.
Two outdoor games have already been played in Boston, but there’s a reason. The Boston Bruins have a huge fanbase, and both games have been played at Fenway Park, one of the oldest stadiums in the US.
Harvard Stadium is even older. If the NHL gets an itch for another outdoor game in Boston, Harvard Stadium would be an easy score.
Mountain America Stadium at Arizona State University
Fans in Arizona deserve this.
The Arizona Coyotes could hardly draw fans to their arenas when they still existed, but after the decision was made to move them, the fan base showed up with outpouring devastation and newfound support.
With the novelty of a one-off game, the fanbase would probably show up to sell-out the Arizona State football stadium, paying tribute to an audience that lost their franchise in a messy way.
It may be insulting to bring the Utah Hockey Club to its old stomping grounds in Tempe, where they made home in ASU’s hockey arena for two seasons, but it could also be a reunion of the team, the city many players called home and the fans that loved them.
