It has been officially announced by the NHL as of January 1st, 2020, that the Winter Classic is headed to Minnesota.
January 1st, 2021 the Minnesota Wild will host the national event at Target Field, home of the MLB's Minnesota Twins.
Oh, how classic!
NEWS: The 2021 Bridgestone @NHL #WinterClassic will feature the #mnwild on January 1, 2021, outdoors at Target Field (home of the Minnesota @Twins) in Minneapolis, MN.
More information: https://t.co/0nNUNYSKU2 pic.twitter.com/6yQG0ofBsv— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 1, 2020
This will be the Wild's first Winter Classic, and their second outdoor game.
Their first outdoor game featured the Wild and Chicago Blackhawks during the 2016 season, a Stadium Series game in which the Wild dominated the Hawks 6-1 at TCF Stadium in Minneapolis.
After multiple seasons of being the runner-up to host, the Minnesota Wild organization expressed their excitement following the announcement;
“The Minnesota Wild is truly honored to be selected to host the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®,” said Minnesota Wild Owner Craig Leipold.
“Target Field is a fantastic ballpark and there is no better place for the NHL's marquee event than right here in the State of Hockey. We are grateful for the opportunity to treat our fans to an incredibly unique and exciting experience celebrating our favorite game, and would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for his support and the Minnesota Twins organization for their help in securing this event.”
The Minnesota Twins President and CEO, Dave St. Peter also issued a statement regarding the announcement;
“The Minnesota Twins are absolutely thrilled to partner with the National Hockey League and the Minnesota Wild to bring the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® to Target Field.
Understanding previous Winter Classic venues, hosting the NHL's annual New Year's Day showcase is an incredible honor for our organization and our community. We can't imagine a better Winter Classic setting than the one the State of Hockey will deliver at Target Field on January 1, 2021.”
Though the NHL has yet to confirm an opponent for the 2021 Winter Classic, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski recently reported that the front runners of potential opponents include the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and the Winnipeg Jets.
A confirmed opponent will be announced by the NHL at an undisclosed time later in the year.
While it's not a stadium with the capacity to break Winter Classic attendance records, as the stadium holds roughly 39,500 fans, the 2021 Winter Classic is sure to become a pinnacle moment in Minnesota sports history and the Wild organization.
