Report: The NHL is going to Florida for an outdoor game!
Send up a prayer for those poor suckers on the ice crew.
According to a report from Tampa, Florida based sports reporter Zac Blobner, the Tampa Bay Lightning will host an outdoor game at Raymond James Stadium in 2026.
From Blobner:
No further details on the game, but you have to presume that it will be one of the NHL's 'Stadium Series' games as opposed to a 'Winter Classic' game. I mean, when you think "winter" you don't really think "Tampa, Florida".
The NHL has hosted 'Stadium Series' in some other warm weather climates, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Nashville.
The Lightning have never hosted an outdoor game, but they did play the Nashville Predators at Nissan Stadium in Nashville a couple years ago. I presume that the Lightning will take on their rival Florida Panthers in this reported outdoor game, but again we have no official confirmation just yet.
Stay tuned.
