Dec 31, 2025
3 min read
This year's Winter Classic, held at LoanDepot Park in Miami, will push the limits of outdoor hockey as the NHL hosts its first outdoor game in the Sunshine State, using advanced ice-making technology to overcome the warm winter temperatures.
Heat Check: Inside the bold bet of the 2026 Winter Classic in Miami
This year's Winter Classic, held at Miami's Londepot Park, pushes the boundaries of outdoor hockey as the NHL debuts its first outdoor game in the Sunshine State.
Winter Classic: Building an ice rink in Miami
The elephant on the ice for the 2026 NHL Winter Classic isn't even a game, a jersey or a broadcast.It's the weather.
That's because, for the first time in its history, an outdoor NHL game is being held at the Sunshine State.
On Jan. 2, outdoor hockey will be played at Lone Depot Park in Miami, a city more famous for the palm trees and 80-degree afternoons than the frozen ponds and snowdrifts that inspired the Winter Classic.
That fact alone makes this offseason one of the most ambitious (and impressive) experiments the league has ever undertaken.
Here's what you need to know
For starters, the NHL Winter Classic is an outdoor regular-season game played on or around New Year's Day, typically in iconic football or baseball stadiums.
With retro uniforms, huge crowds and a concert atmosphere, this is the premier event for hockey fans, designed to showcase the sport in unforgettable outdoor settings across North America.
But while the snow and cold temperatures have often been a fun part of the game, Miami is completely rewriting the script.
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You won't see players exhaling clouds of breath.You won't see the edges of the ice on the tables.Neither player will be scrambling for hot benches.
To understand how dramatic the shift is, consider last season's Winter Classic in Chicago, where the low before the puck dropped was 34 degrees (considered fairly moderate for a Midwestern winter).
In contrast, when this year's crews began unloading the first pallets to begin track construction in Miami, the high temperature reached 77 degrees.
And this is just the beginning.
The January forecast calls for temperatures to climb into the 70s, making it the warmest environment the NHL has ever attempted to play outdoors.
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While the league has hosted outdoor games in places like Raleigh and Dallas, it has never ventured this far south or in such warm conditions.
As the NHL's vice president of hockey operations said, hosting the Winter Classic in Miami is "a pretty bold move."
Mother Nature's Teaching
Yes.But not blind.
The NHL has played more than 40 games outdoors in temperatures ranging from -6 degrees to 65 degrees.Each of those games has been added to the league, setting her up for what may be her toughest challenge yet.
It starts with LoanDepot Park itself.The stadium's retractable roof allows the league to seal off the interior during construction, creating a temperature-controlled environment.
Workers used protective flooring on the field's synthetic turf and built a laser-leveled stage floor for the field using aluminum decking.
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For the first time in Winter Classic history, the NHL deployed two mobile cooling units instead of one.These units would pump the glycol into pipes beneath the aluminum pans, removing heat from the surface and keeping the ice frozen.
At the end of December, the NHL replaced the stadium's air conditioning system.The crew then sprayed thin layers of dust over the glaciers, gradually forming a thick, dense sheet of ice.
The ice itself is 2 to 2.5 inches thick, significantly thicker than standard NHL game ice.The extra depth gives officials flexibility: If conditions require, they can remove water rather than add it, helping maintain consistency and safety.
The plan is for the roof to be open on game day, adding to the spectacle of outdoor hockey in one of baseball’s most unique venues. Glass panels can enclose parts of the opening in center field, but the intention is to open them as well, fully embracing the outdoor atmosphere.
Officials planned for the puck to drop at night, when the sun goes down and temperatures are coldest.
Basically: It's not about winter fun, it's about redefining it.
After all, Miami doesn't give a snow or snow, but it gives a more than to forget the latest stroke, environmental.
On January 2, it's not just the backdrop for the 2026 NHL Winter Classic.
It has become part of the story.
The Florida Panthers will face off against the New York Rangers in this year's Winter Classic, which begins at 8 p.m. Friday, January 2, and will air on TNT, TruTV, and HBO MAX in the United States.
Executive editor Jenn Jordan explores how climate affects our daily lives, shapes our behavior and leaves a lasting impact on our society.
