Building on initial rink construction, the NHL successfully tested the retractable roof at loanDepot park for the 2026 Winter Classic. Officials opened the panels and roof, confirming stable temperatures and conditions for the January 2 outdoor game between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers—the league's first in Florida.
NHL officials conducted the test Tuesday night, counting down to open the stadium's sliding glass panels in left field and retractable roof, simulating game-day conditions. The panels took four minutes to open, exposing the Miami skyline, while the roof retracted in 15 minutes. Ice-level temperatures remained stable at 58-59 degrees Fahrenheit with minimal breeze and no disruptive wind swirls, unlike a prior Vancouver incident.
"We were like, 'Ten, nine, eight... Open!'" said NHL executive vice president of events Dean Matsuzaki, calling the outcome "anticlimactic but definitely necessary." A palm tree and decorative flamingos toppled, but disruptions were minor. The league has kept the roof closed and air conditioning at 60-64 degrees during daytime ice work. Anti-fog solutions on glass proved unnecessary due to low humidity, and mobile refrigeration units operated at 50% capacity.
NHL vice president of hockey operations Derek King noted, "We never got above 60 degrees... Everything's great." Game-day forecast: mostly sunny, high of 73 degrees, low of 55—cooler than the 2016 Coors Field record of 65.
This marks the 17th Winter Classic and 44th NHL outdoor game, with the Panthers as two-time defending Stanley Cup champions and Rangers undefeated in prior outdoors (5-0).
