The 2027 NHL Winter Classic will make a debut in a new venue after recently hosting the game in South Florida at the home of the MLB’s Miami Marlins. However, next season’s event will be moving to a stunning mountain backdrop as the Winter Classic returns to the Western Conference.

The 2027 Winter Classic in Utah will be the first time the Avalanche will play the event, and the fourth outdoor game the team will participate in.

The Utah Mammoth will host the event at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the Utah Utes football team, owner Ryan Smith confirmed on Wednesday. The Mammoth will take on the Colorado Avalanche in the 18th rendition of the Winter Classic.

Goalie gear, that is. The NHL’s announcement Wednesday that the Colorado Avalanche will play in the 2027 Winter Classic against the Utah Mammoth at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium is big news for Wedgewood for two different reasons.

The New York Rangers spoiled the party in Miami, beating the Florida Panthers in the 2026 NHL Winter Classic, 5-1. Big performances from the trio of Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin fueled the victory as the Rangers picked up an enormous win in the Eastern Conference playoff race.