SALT LAKE CITY – This is the one you circle on the calendar.
Presale tickets to the 2027 Winter Classic go on sale Wednesday, May 13., at 10 a.m. MT. Presale will begin with Mammoth season-ticket holders and partners.
The NHL’s showcase event features the Utah Mammoth hosting the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah Campus on Thursday, December 31.
The spring release gives NHL fans in Utah plenty of time to find the best seats for one of the most anticipated games in Utah Mammoth history.
Since 2008, the National Hockey League has hosted a collection of outdoor games headlined by the annual Winter Classic.
Normally hosted on New Year’s Day, two teams are selected to participate in a marquee outdoor hockey game.
Ryan & Ashley Smith share their thoughts on the 2027 Winter Classic:
“This is a dream…this is the ultimate celebration of the sport…it’s about the sport that a lot of people in this state didn’t know they really needed in their lives.”
“We don’t hide from the winter here.” pic.twitter.com/F2jnyfyXQk
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 8, 2026
In the past, cities such as Buffalo, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, and Seattle have hosted the extraordinary event.
In 2026, the NHL experimented with a different approach as the Florida Panthers hosted the New York Rangers at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.
In 2014, the NHL also introduced the Stadium Series to add even more annual outdoor games to the league’s schedule.
The 2027 NHL Winter Classic is coming to Utah! 👏🏼🏔️
The Utah Mammoth are going outdoors against a beautiful mountain backdrop. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/m5Bhy5zhlK
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 7, 2026
However, these differ from the Winter Classic, which serves as a supporting event to reach additional markets, rather than the Winter Classic, which is the primary outdoor game of the calendar year.
The Winter Classic returns to a true winter setting as Salt Lake City prepares to welcome the prestigious outdoor event next year.
The Mammoth will host division-rival Colorado at Rice-Eccles Stadium on December 31, 2026. It will be the first outdoor game in franchise history.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Follow him on X. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
All Mammoth games will be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM). Occasionally, KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) also airs Jazz games.
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
