Buffalo Sabres: Will They Host the 2028 Winter Classic? NHL Considers

NHL Winter Classic Could Return to its Roots in 2028

BUFFALO, N.Y. – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed that there is a high probability that the league will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its annual winter classic at the place where it all began: Orchard Park, New York.

“I’m not making an announcement or committing, but we’re focused on whether we can make it coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original Winter Classic,” Bettman stated during the Sabres’ season opener in Buffalo on Thursday night.

Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner

Bettman also mentioned that conversations have already been held about the possibility of an outdoor game at Highmark Stadium, the current stadium of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. This new stadium, costing $2.1 billion, is scheduled to open its doors in July.

The first Winter Classic was held on January 1, 2008, at the old stadium, then known as Ralph Wilson Stadium. The event captivated the imagination of the NHL and its followers, thanks to the combination of falling snow and a stadium filled with 71,217 fans, creating a snowball effect for the international television audience.

The then-rising NHL star, Sidney Crosby, sealed the victory for the Pittsburgh Penguins over Buffalo with a decisive goal in the penalty shootout, with a final score of 2-1. Since then, the NHL has hosted 16 Winter Classics in prominent US stadiums, such as Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway Park in Boston, and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The game, usually scheduled for New Year’s Day, has evolved with a total of 41 games since the first Winter Classic, with this year’s game scheduled for the Miami Marlins’ LoanDepot Park on January 2nd. Bettman joked that the NHL predicted the instant success of the Winter Classic, clarifying that he was joking about what began as a unique proposal from the Sabres and NBC.

“We are grateful to have done it here first,” Bettman said. “And we will return, I promise.”

Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner

Logistically, the situation is favored by the fact that the Sabres and the Bills are owned by Terry Pegula. In addition, Highmark Stadium hosted an international hockey game between the United States and Canada in December 2017, when Buffalo hosted the junior world championship.