Avalanche, Mammoth to Meet in Winter Classic on New Year's Eve

The NHL announced Friday that the Utah Mammoth will host the Colorado Avalanche in the 2027 Discover Winter Classic on Dec. 31, 2026, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the game will start in late afternoon or early evening, prime time on the East Coast. According to nhl.com, some of the game will be played under the lights.

The game will be Utah's first outdoor contest. The Mammoth joined the NHL ahead of the 2024-25 season. Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah football team, will be the fourth college football venue to host a Winter Classic.

Colorado has played in three previous outdoor games, all as the home team. The Avalanche hosted Detroit at Coors Field in the 2016 Stadium Series, Los Angeles at Air Force Academy's Falcon Stadium in the 2020 Stadium Series, and Vegas at Lake Tahoe in 2021. According to nhl.com, Colorado is 1-2-0 all time in outdoor games.

Mammoth owner Ryan Smith told espn.com that a weekend of events will surround the game, including a postgame concert at the Delta Center on New Year's Eve.

Colorado holds a 4-1-1 record against Utah since the franchise's inception, including a 2-0-1 mark this season.