Preparations for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic are advancing at loanDepot park in Miami, where the New York Rangers will face the Florida Panthers in the state's first outdoor ice hockey game on January 2. Despite temperatures reaching 78 degrees outside, the NHL is installing ice using specialized refrigeration units inside the cooled stadium. Officials anticipate mild weather for the event, with a high of 70 degrees and no rain forecast.
At loanDepot park, home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins, the dasher boards, glass, benches, and penalty boxes are already in place for the upcoming 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic. Scheduled for January 2 at 8 p.m. ET and broadcast on HBO Max, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, and TVAS, the game marks the first outdoor ice hockey contest in the Sunshine State.
NHL executive vice president of events Dean Matsuzaki observed the setup from above the field, where the hockey rink now spans from the right field foul area to the left, replacing the usual baseball diamond. "Seeing how the rink fits on this field, it actually feels very intimate in this building," Matsuzaki said. "Some of the stadiums we go to are big football fields and there is a little separation. But this park has very little foul territory with the foul poles almost on the field. It’s a narrower field which makes things tighter -- so it’s great. This is a wonderful ballpark for this game."
To combat Miami's climate, the stadium's retractable roof has been closed, and air conditioning units are maintaining cooler temperatures inside, similar to the Florida Panthers' home arena in Sunrise, about 35 miles northwest. Two mobile refrigeration units support the ice-making process on 253 aluminum pans laid out in three rows across the cooled floor. Ice laying was set to begin Tuesday afternoon.
Surrounding the rink, one half of the field will feature a winter wonderland with a synthetic ice rink, while the other will evoke a Florida beach scene complete with a street hockey area. The ballpark's capacity for the event is 35,300. Heated benches, standard for Winter Classics, are included but unlikely to be used. "We’re pretty sure we won’t be turning those on this time," Matsuzaki joked.
Matsuzaki acknowledged the heat challenge: "We have talked about the climate a lot, and that is a big challenge for us. That said, having the roof, a sealed building, and the air conditioning, we’re maintaining a much lower temperature than it is outside. We’ve mitigated a lot of the challenges, but we are watching it all very closely."
For game day, the roof and windows facing downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay will open, creating a tropical atmosphere. The forecast offers relief, with a high near 70 degrees, a low of 56, and clear skies. "We welcome that," Matsuzaki said. "We would like for [the temperature] to drop a little bit. We have all intentions to open the roof for game time, so, every little bit helps."
