The National Hockey League (NHL) has been playing outdoor games, dating back to 1954, when the Detroit Red Wings faced the Marquette Pirates, a club composed of inmates from the Marquette branch prison in Michigan. From winter classics to stadium series and some in between, outdoor games are a great way to bring a larger audience into hockey.
Related: Devils’ goals for the top 3 draft picks in the 2025 NHL draft
The New Jersey Devils have played two outdoor games in their history: 2014 (Yankee Stadium, Losing to the New York Rangers) and 2024 (Metropolitan Life Stadium, Beating the Philadelphia Flyers). They have also played a few indoor “professional games”, including the last two global European season trips, starting the season in 2018 (Sweden) and 2024 (Czech Republic). Their next professional match will be against the Ottawa Senators in the preseason in Quebec on September 28. Here are five interesting places for future professional games:
Citi Field – Flushing, New York | Regular season with New York Rangers
Citi Field, home to the MLB New York Mets, has successfully hosted NHL games. The Stadium Series at Metropolitan Life Stadium was excellent, and the bets only increase as the Devil and Rangers competed.
The stadium’s hockey holding 41,821 has recently upgraded various LED lights and a massive Jumbotron to measure at a height of up to 1,617 square meters, the largest in North American professional baseball. The fan experience will be huge here.
Shi Stadium – New Brunswick, New Jersey |Regular season with Philadelphia flyers
Shi Stadium, home to Rutgers University football team, has never hosted an NHL game, but it will be a great location. Since Rutgers is the largest school in the state, this will be very successful with the 2025 Columbus Blue Jacket/Detroit Red Wings game at Ohio State.
The stadium has a capacity of 52,454. Not only will it be big for Devils fans living in New Jersey, but Shia Stadium is just over an hour away from Philadelphia, which is a reasonable trek for many Flyers fans.
American Dream Mall – East Rutherford, New Jersey |Pre-season with any opponent
If you’re from New Jersey, you’ll know that the construction of the American Dream Mall seems to be timeless (16 years) almost a miracle. The interior of the American Dream is an NHL-sized ice rink that is usually used for public skating. The Prime Minister’s Met Rivets used to play football there, and the mall recently hosted the Dream Cup.
The event may have to close the mall and tickets must be very limited, which may be through a raffle, which is why it is best to do this in a preseason. But it will be a landmark moment in New Jersey history and brings eyes to a shopping mall flying under radar, despite its huge production.
Coors Stadium – Denver, Colorado | Regular season with Colorado avalanche
Coors Field is home to the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, and is the ideal stage for local teams (Avalanches) to face a devilish team once known as…the Colorado Rockies. The stadium has successfully hosted NHL games in 2016, with a capacity of 50,095.
There is no doubt that the Devil should wear their Colorado Rockies jersey in this game. This would be an ideal location between the history of the devil and the enormous surroundings of the avalanche. Additionally, fans who have taken root in the Rockies of Major League Baseball and The NHL’s avalanche is desperate to watch a winning team in Coors. Major League Baseball Rockies are 6-27 at home this season.
Scotiabank Center – Halifax, Nova Scotia | Pre-season with any opponent
Scotiabank Center is home to Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), which also happens to be where Devils stars Timo Meier and Nico Hischier played as teenagers. Just as the Devils compete in Quebec this preseason, Halifax will be another good option.
As long as Meier and Hischier are still devils, this will be a special destination for them. This will also help familiarize American fans with the Canadian Junior Hockey system.
Professional Games
Do you think the NHL should have more (or less) professional games? Or are they currently have good balance? Let us know in the comments, and any unmentioned locations you think would be great.
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