The good and bad of Sunday’s outdoor NHL game — and what Utah can learn from it
· Yahoo Sports
The first of three outdoor NHL games on the 2026–27 calendar happened Sunday, with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Montreal Canadiens. The next one will take place at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
Here’s what went well at Princess Auto Stadium, as well as the things the league can learn for the New Year’s Eve matchup between the Utah Mammoth and the Colorado Avalanche.
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What went well at the 2026 Heritage Classic?
NostalgiaWith “heritage” in the name of the event, nostalgia is a major focus of the marquee Canadian outdoor games. That was at the root of many stylistic decisions in Winnipeg.
The border around the arena was made to look like a cozy log cabin, right down to the roaring fireplace and the framed pictures on the walls for a rustic feel.
A Canadian flag is unfurled before the NHL Heritage Classic hockey game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP) | Fred GreensladeThe pregame performers included a folk band and “The Asham Stompers,” who blended Indigenous dance with square dancing.
Both teams’ jerseys were nods to the past.
The Jets reused their 2016 Heritage Classic jerseys, which are based on the “Jets 1.0″ jerseys from before the team migrated to Arizona in 1996. The Canadiens have more or less used the same jerseys since they joined the NHL in 1917, but their Heritage Classic jerseys used a logo and cream color that more closely resembles the original design. They also added a number of fine details to acknowledge the past.
Perhaps the most nostalgia, however, came from the alumni game — especially on the Jets’ side, where past greats like Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and, for the first time since his sudden retirement, fan favorite Dustin Byfuglien were present.
“The way our chapter in Winnipeg ended wasn’t how any of us imagined it would,” Byfuglien said in a statement released by the Jets Monday evening. “There were a lot of emotions, a lot left unsaid, and a goodbye that never really happened. For years, I’ve carried a little sadness about that. Not because of the hockey, but because of the people.”
He was met with a warm ovation when he participated in the ceremonial faceoff ahead of the big game.
Winnipeg loves you, Dustin Byfuglien 💙 pic.twitter.com/q6t8H2p7Qp
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 25, 2026
Nostalgia probably won’t play as big of a role in Utah’s outdoor game, simply because the team doesn’t have nearly as rich of a history as the Canadiens or Jets. They don’t have enough retired alumni to form a line, let alone an entire alumni game.
They’ll likely go for a different aesthetic instead — something that draws people into hockey, rather than appealing to their existing sentiments for the game. That said, it would be neat if they included some type of homage to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, the Utah Grizzlies and the 2002 Olympics, which have all contributed in major ways to the existing hockey fandom in the state for decades.
Arrival outfitsHalloween came early in Winnipeg.
It’s become tradition for teams to coordinate costumes for their walk-ins ahead of outdoor games. They usually have something to do with the team’s home city or team name.
The Jets wore leather jackets and aviator sunglasses. “Top Gun” was the theme, to go along with the “Jets” name and the Royal Canadian Air Force’s major presence in the city.
The Canadiens dressed up as brewery workers, inspired by team owner Geoff Molson’s other major business venture, Molson Coors Beverage Company.
New Year’s Eve in Utah could go a number of different ways. Maybe the Mammoth dress up as cavemen to go along with their prehistoric name. Perhaps they’ll go as pioneers to acknowledge the state’s roots. Or maybe they’ll take a page out of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s book and wear the equipment of the team that typically plays in the building — in this case, the University of Utah Utes.
TimingThroughout the 46 outdoor games the NHL has staged under commissioner Gary Bettman, the league has learned a lot (often from its mistakes).
Games have been postponed, sometimes even midway through, due to sun and ice conditions. Fans have endured bitter cold and stadiums have completely run out of concession items.
At this point, the events crew more or less has it down to a science. They did well to put Sunday’s game in October, rather than January or February, given Winnipeg’s tendency to have particularly cold winters. Records show the temperature being 4°C (about 39°F) at puck drop — enough to keep the ice frozen with a cooling system, but not enough to freeze the crowd.
Dec. 31 historically falls in Salt Lake City’s coldest week of the year, when the average temperature is slightly colder than it was in Winnipeg on Sunday (average high of 35°F and average low of 23°F). One site forecasts a high of 38°F and a low of 22°F on New Year’s Eve 2026.
It’s also pleasant that it comes in association with a major celebration. The Winter Classic will be much more than just a hockey game (more on that later).
What could have been better at the 2026 Winter Classic?
Distracting newsThe Jets had all summer and a month of the regular season to find a new home for superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who requested a trade at some point after the Olympics. Instead of trading him then, they waited until Friday to pull the trigger on a deal.
Although it distracted from the main event of the weekend, it did make for a cool moment when the in-arena PA announcer introduced newly acquired forward Dawson Mercer to his new fans for the first time. For years, Mercer had been in virtually every Devils trade rumor, so it must have been special to feel appreciated in that way.
He tried to fight the smile for a moment, but he eventually couldn’t help it.
Host team lostI'm so emotional over Dawson Mercer this is one hell of a welcome, he's so happy 😭 pic.twitter.com/vnLLAsmW9G
— Bel (@bluebelgeorgia) October 25, 2026
The Canadiens spoiled the game for the home crowd, which had high hopes of seeing its team end a four-game losing skid. Instead, it extended to five — and the next five are against some of the toughest opponents in the league.
Jets fans did get a moment of hope when Isak Rosén scored a late goal to pull the team within one. They had a few close chances at the end, but they couldn’t get it done.
Of course, the NHL won’t do anything to influence the outcome of any game. It’s up to the players on the ice to give the crowd what it wants.
The Mammoth will have their work cut out for them. No team has won more games in the 2020s than the Avalanche. Utah has, however, beaten Colorado twice in the seven games they’ve played head-to-head, and they currently sit three points ahead of them in the standings.
Up for debate
Intermission showAs is usually the case, the internet’s opinions on the intermission show was divided.
Ella Bright, an actress known for hockey drama/romance show “Off-Campus,” hosted it, while artists whose songs appear in that show and a similar one, “Heated Rivalry,” headlined the performances.
Those two shows have drawn an entirely new audience to the game of hockey, so the NHL catered to those new fans in their selections. Another major portion of the league’s fan base has no interest in those shows or artists, and based on social media comments, they seemed to dislike the performances.
It’s notoriously difficult to please everybody.
Mammoth owner Ryan Smith announced ahead of Utah’s first home playoff game last spring that the Winter Classic festivities will include a midnight concert at the Delta Center to ring in the new year. The performers have not yet been revealed.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, left, and Smith Entertainment Group Chairman and CEO Ryan Smith, right, speak with media before game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, April 24, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News