2 NHL outdoor games set to take place in the most unlikely places!

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, there are NHL outdoor games coming to the Sunshine State.

Yes, you read that right, though it sounds almost impossible to pull off. On his 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman reported that the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers are expected to host outdoor games next season.

The Panthers’ game is planned to take place at LoanDepot Park, home of MLB’s Miami Marlins. As for the contest hosted by the Lightning, there is no confirmed location, though it would make sense to host it at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This would be the first time the state of Florida would host an outdoor NHL game and it seems almost dangerous to get players on (thin) ice for the events. However, the league did in other warm-weather locations, including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles back in 2014.

The next outdoor on the calendar will take place at Ohio Stadium in Columbus when the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Chicago’s Wrigley Field hosted the most recent outdoor game, the annual Winter Classic on December 31.