Jan. 2, 2026, 4:26 p.m. ET
One of the best modern traditions in hockey makes its return on Friday night with the 2026 NHL Winter Classic.
This year, however, the Winter Classic will be different than any prior iteration in the event’s history: It will be played in the state of Florida.
The Miami Marlins’ LoanDepot Park will serve as the venue for the game, and despite the warm South Florida conditions, the roof of the stadium will indeed be open for Friday night’s showdown between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers.
According to ESPN, it’s likely to be the warmest temperature at puck drop in the history of the Winter Classic. Though the average temperature for the event, which is historically held in colder regions, is 33 degrees, the temperature is forecast to be in the 60s in Miami on Friday night.
It will be something of a feat of engineering to keep the ice from melting, and the league has taken extra steps to ensure quality conditions, including thicker ice and an additional mobile refrigeration unit. Fortunately, because the stadium has a retractable roof, the rink can be kept covered until shortly before game time.
The game will also begin after sunset, so it won’t be battling a sunny January day in Miami.
It’s set to be one of the most unique Winter Classics we’ve ever seen, and we’ll just have to hope the NHL’s due diligence when it comes to ice conditions ultimately pays off.