It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re nearing the end of the 2024-25 regular season. However, we’re already thinking about the coming seasons. Usually we focus on player moves and rosters in NHL rumours. However, we’re going to discuss other big events involving teams in the league. Outdoor games are often coveted by teams and it’s a way to showcase the sport. This edition of NHL rumours deals with the Utah Hockey Club being in line for a possible outdoor hockey game.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Utah Hockey Club Could Get Outdoor Hockey Game
Rumour: Cole Bagley of KSL Sports said that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has commented on a possible future outdoor hockey game in Utah. Bettman said that “an outdoor game is in Utah’s future.“
Analysis: It seems that the move from the Arizona Coyotes to the Utah Hockey Club has been a successful one. The Delta Center may not be perfect, but that arena will get some renovations that will fix some of the issues.
However, Bettman seems to be focused on getting the people of the Beehive State either a Stadium Series or a Winter Classic game. The longtime commissioner said that he expects the news to get a good community reaction when it does get announced. The Salt Lake City community has embraced Utah HC and an outdoor game seems to be a reward for that.
We already have two outdoor games already on the docket for the 2025-26 season with the Winter Classic in Miami as the Florida Panthers host the New York Rangers on January 2, 2026. The second scheduled outdoor game has the Boston Bruins visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium on February 1.
A third outdoor game wouldn’t be impossible, but a Canadian-based Heritage Classic could also happen within the next year or two. We could see a Utah outdoor game occur in 2026 or 2027.
What It Means
Bagley mentioned that Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City has already been scouted for a location. However, nothing has been locked in. The arena on the University of Utah campus has a capacity of 54,383. This could be a good location to host an NHL outdoor game. Views of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains would make for one heck of a backdrop.
However, let’s also not discount LaVell Edwards Stadium on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. That stadium has a slightly bigger stadium capacity at 62,073. Provo is around 45 minutes to an hour from Salt Lake City and also offers a stunning view of the Wasatch Mountains. Things are likely in the early stages, but the league does have some choices when it comes to an outdoor venue.
However, finding an ideal opponent could be a pretty straightforward proposition. The logical choice would be the Colorado Avalanche, who are also a fellow mountain team. League officials would love to start fostering that rivalry and an outdoor game would seemingly be a smart play. However, things are still likely a long way from being settled.
Main photo by: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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