The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers in the 2026 NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park on Friday, marking the first outdoor game in Florida history. Both teams enter the matchup in the playoff hunt, with high stakes in the Eastern Conference standings. The event highlights the rapid growth of hockey in the Sunshine State amid favorable weather conditions.
The 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic takes place Friday at 8 p.m. ET at loanDepot Park, home of MLB's Miami Marlins, with the retractable roof opening before puck drop to expose the ice to Miami's skyline. This will be the Panthers' first outdoor regular-season game in their 32-year history, while the Rangers play their sixth, holding a perfect 5-0-0 record in such contests.
Florida (21-15-3, 45 points) sits ninth in the East, one point behind Buffalo for the second wild-card spot and three behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic Division. New York (19-18-5, 43 points) is 14th, three points from the wild card and four from Philadelphia for third in the Metropolitan. The Panthers have three games in hand and went 2-1-0 against the Rangers last season, but New York's road record (14-8-2) challenges Florida's strong home play (13-8-3).
Building the rink began in mid-December with custom refrigeration units and thicker-than-usual ice to combat Miami's climate. Temperatures are expected in the low 60s, cooler than the 65-degree record set in Denver in 2016. NHL events president Steve Mayer praised the process: "We got a lot more comfortable with the ice build, the temperatures—we did a lot of research, this just doesn't happen—and now we're here."
Panthers GM Bill Zito called it "like little kids at Christmas," emphasizing the celebration for fans and families. Forward Brad Marchand, playing his fourth outdoor game, noted the uniqueness: "It's not often you get to play outdoors in a climate like this." Coach Paul Maurice, in his third outdoor coaching stint, stressed appreciation: "For some guys, it'll be the only one they ever play in."
The game underscores Florida's hockey surge, with teams reaching six straight Stanley Cup Finals and youth registration up 49.63% since 1993-94. A sold-out crowd of over 35,000 is anticipated, broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, truTV in the U.S., and Sportsnet, TVA Sports in Canada.