Ever since the first NHL Winter Classic in 2008 at Orchard Park in New York, between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, the outdoor event has proven to be a huge success for the league. Always played outdoors, a la the Heritage Classic and Stadium Series, the Winter Classic is now a staple of the NHL's annual calendar.
This season's Winter Classic will take place on Dec, 31 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. This will be the Blackhawks' fifth appearance in the event -- the most in NHL history -- and the Blues' third, with both teams looking for their first win.
This will also be the 16th edition of the NHL Winter Classic, with 16 of the league's 32 teams so far appearing in the event. This includes the two most recent expansion teams the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, who played each other last season at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, with the Kraken winning 3-0.
No love for the Oilers yet
Of the 16 NHL teams yet to appear in the Winter Classic, this includes the Edmonton Oilers. This is mostly due to the event only being played in the United States as opposed to Canada as well.
At the same time, this doesn't mean the Oilers won't ever appear in the Winter Classic, albeit it will likely never by at home in Edmonton. To date there have been two Canadian teams to play in the event, including the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 versus the Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium, and the Montreal Canadiens in 2016 against the Boston Bruins at Gillette Stadium.
It stands to reason that the Leafs and Canadiens would be the two Canadian teams so far to appear in the event. This is down to the combination of them being the two biggest fan bases North of the border, along with facing two fellow 'Original Six' members.
Along with the Oilers, the other four Canadian teams yet to appear in the NHL Winter Classic are the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators. Not that these teams haven't been part of other NHL outdoor games.
Canadian teams get their outdoor shot elsewhere
We're specifically taking about the NHL Heritage Classic, which has so far been played seven times and has seen the Oilers and Flames make the most appearances, with three each. The Jets and Canadiens have both played twice, while the other three Canadian teams have appeared once each. (The Sabres also played in 2022, against the Maple Leafs in Hamilton.)
The other 11 NHL teams yet to play in the Winter Classic, include the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Colorado Avalanche, Utah, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. You would assume the Islanders and Kings will be in the running as hosts sooner than later, just by virtue of playing in the two biggest markets in the United States.
As for the Oilers, there is no way of knowing when they are likely to appear in the Winter Classic full stop, even on the road. Although it would serve the NHL to do their best to get the team involved while Connor McDavid is still playing and standing out as the best player in the game.