The Winter Classic at Target Field is back on.
NHL's Winter Classic coming to Target Field with Wild playing St. Louis on New Year's Day
The league's spotlight regular season event was postponed last season.
June 28, 2021 at 10:07PM
After getting scrapped last year, the NHL's signature event will return on New Year's Day 2022 with the Wild taking on the St. Louis Blues. The teams were supposed to face off last Jan. 1 before the season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It was just a matter of time," Wild president Matt Majka said. "I never had any doubts."
Ticket and broadcast information for the event will be announced at a later date, but season-ticket holders will have the first opportunity to purchase seats. Capacity at Target Field is expected to be around 39,000, although Twins president Dave St. Peter hopes that number could grow.
Earlier this year, the NHL and Turner Sports signed a seven-year rights agreement beginning next season that includes the Winter Classic. The two sides will determine when puck drop is for the game, which is still under discussion. If weather delays the action, the game could be bumped to Jan.2, Majka said.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the rescheduled Winter Classic from Tampa Bay, where Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Lightning and Canadiens was played Monday. All-Star Weekend in the NHL next season will be in Las Vegas, with a date yet to be determined, and the league also said the Stadium Series game will feature Nashville vs. Tampa Bay at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
In its only other outdoor NHL game, the Wild edged the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 in the NHL Stadium Series at TCF Bank Stadium on Feb. 21, 2016. The Winter Classic started in 2008 with a game in Buffalo.
"We've had a great run of really showcase events here in the Twin Cities, and this is the next big one," St. Peter said. "I can't tell you how important that is for the Twin Cities based on everything we've been through on so many different fronts over the past year-plus.
"It'll be a great day for the city of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities in general [and] state of Minnesota to put on another great show."
A 7-1 loss to Edmonton came with back-to-back home games just ahead and another injury in place, as the Wild placed defenseman Jake Middleton on IR and claimed veteran Travis Dermott off waivers.
