NHL’s 2021 Winter Classic coming to Target Field

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN – Target Field, home to the Minnesota Twins and one of the premier sporting and entertainment venues in the Upper Midwest, will play host to the 2021 NHL Winter Classic® featuring the Minnesota Wild on January 1, 2021, the National Hockey League (NHL®) announced today. The Wild’s opponent, as well as additional details for the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, will be provided at a future date.

“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,” Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. “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.”

The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will be the latest jewel event to be held at Target Field, which was named Sports Facility of the Year in 2011 by the Sports Business Journal and was recognized as having the best game day experience in all of sports by ESPN the Magazine in 2010. Over its first decade, the venue has hosted Major League Baseball’s Postseason (2010 and 2019) and All-Star Game (2014), multiple sporting events including Minnesota prep tournaments, an international soccer match (2016) and NCAA football games (2017 and 2019), and several concerts and music festivals.

The 2021 Bridgestone 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 outdoor game on New Year’s Day 2021 will be the 13th NHL Winter Classic and the 31st NHL regular-season outdoor game overall. For a complete history of NHL regular-season outdoor games, click here.

“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 New Year’s Day matchup will be the Wild’s first NHL Winter Classic and second NHL regular-season outdoor game, with their previous such matchup coming in the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will be broadcast live on NBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Game time, ticket information and other events surrounding the game will be announced when available. NHL Social™ will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms using the hashtag NHL #WinterClassic.

Today’s announcement was made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Dates and locations for additional NHL events taking place during the 2020-21 season will be announced when available. Fans can sign up for news and information on all of the NHL’s events at nhl.com/events.