Wild Set to Host NHL Winter Classic Outside in Minnesota This January
The Minnesota Wild are taking things outside as they get set to host the NHL's annual Winter Classic this January.
Throughout its history, Target Field has hosted many Twins games, as well as several big concerts (think Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, sir Paul McCartney and more) since the Twins have called it their home in 2009.
And next January, Target Field will also be able to claim that has been the home to the National Hockey League's annual Winter Classic, a hockey game played outdoors-- where hockey SHOULD be played here in Minnesota, am I right?
The NHL made that announcement Monday night, officially announcing that the 2022 NHL Winter Classic will be held here in the State of Hockey (where it belongs) on January 1st, 2022 at Target Field. The contest was originally scheduled for January 1, 2021, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Twins, the 2022 NHL Winter Classic "continues the tradition the NHL established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the onset of the new year." The Twins also noted the outdoor game on New Year’s Day 2022 will be the 13th NHL Winter Classic and the 33rd NHL regular-season outdoor game overall.
Their New Year's Day 2022 contest outside at Target Field against the St. Louis Blues will be the Wild's first appearance in the Winter Classic, though it's not the first game Minnesota's NHL team has played in outside in the Land of 10,000 (Frozen) Lakes. They beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 outside on February 21, 2016 at TCF Bank (which could have a NEW NAME this week) Stadium in Minneapolis during the NHL Stadium Series.
I think it's cool that the NHL continues to host hockey games outside. I mean, that's where hockey started, right? It's kind of like when teams use those throwback jerseys (like the Wild did last year, in a jersey that used the old Minnesota North Stars colors.) And speaking of throwbacks, keep scrolling to check out what some familiar company logos used to look like back in the day!
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