Tampa Bay Lightning Rumored to Host 2026 NHL Stadium Series Game
In an exciting development, Raymond James Stadium may host the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first NHL Stadium Series outdoor game in 2026 according to Elliot Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. This achievement could come after years of the team pushing to make it happen. Florida would then get two outdoor games that year, with the Winter Classic at Miami’s LoanDepot Park also on the schedule. Miami’s venue comes with a practical solution for weather concerns: a retractable roof they can adjust as conditions require.
The Tampa game faces some weather challenges. With typical February temperatures around 74 degrees, keeping good ice will be tough. The NHL’s warmest outdoor game hit 65 degrees in Denver in 2016, while a practice session in Vegas once reached 80 degrees. Timing creates another challenge. The NHL needs to work around potential NFL playoff games in January, making scheduling tricky.
Owner Jeff Vinik and CEO Steve Griggs have been working toward this goal since 2015. The team got their first taste as visitors during Nashville’s 2022 Stadium Series, drawing huge crowds.
Tampa’s success story is clear. With Stanley Cup wins in 2004, 2020, and 2021, they’ve shown they’re a force to be reckoned with. From 2015 to 2023, they were one of the NHL’s top teams. Before the outdoor game arrives, the Lightning have work to do. January brings 16 important Eastern Conference games in 29 days, each crucial for playoff positioning.
With this news, only one team, the Utah/Arizona franchise, hasn’t played in an outdoor game. These special games have run every year since 2008, after starting in 2003.
While Florida hockey fans get two big events, they won’t see the Panthers and Lightning face off in either game. These matchups continue two decades of NHL outdoor tradition, writing new stories in hockey history.
