The ball was dropped on the NHL's experiment to stage the Winter Classic on New Year's Eve. Tuesday's game between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks in the open air at Wrigley Field garnered the worst viewership ratings in the 17-year history of the annual event,

After having the worst ratings in the history of the NHL’s Winter Classic, something’s got to change for the NHL.

The Winter Classic has been a long-standing tradition in hockey, but the 2025 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field will be the first time the game is set to be played on New Year’s Eve.

The St. Louis Blues' 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field marked the 16th edition of the Winter Classic. Even when returning to previously used venues, the Classic continues to grow and change every season.

Will Bundesliga stadiums host the NHL Winter Classic in the future? A report by Sportsnet suggests that it might be possible.

NHL Winter Classic between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks is December 31, 2024 at 5 PM EST at Wrigley Field.

On a rainy Saturday at Wrigley Field, The St. Louis Blues rolled past the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 NHL Winter Classic, 6-2. The Blues lit up the scoreboard, and that outburst of offense came from the defense.

The 2025 NHL Winter Classic went back to Chicago to ring in the new year and the views were absolutely stunning.

But of the 41 outdoor games the NHL has put on since the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton, the ones NHL president of content and events Steve Mayer — the mad scientist behind the games — gets asked about are the ones nobody could attend: Golden Knights – Avalanche and Flyers -Bruins at Lake Tahoe during the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2021.

Wrigley Field also hosted the 2009 edition of the event, which was won by the Detroit Red Wings in one of the wildest games the annual tradition has produced.

This year's NHL Winter Classic was an absolute dud, recycling two teams (the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues) that have already played in multiple outdoor games in a venue (Wrigley Field) that has already been used.