Avalanche To Play Mammoth in 2027 Winter Classic in Utah

The Avalanche are playing in their first Winter Classic in 2027. Colorado will be the visiting team against the Utah Mammoth at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the Utah Utes college football team in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Avs have played in three outdoor games previously, going 1-2-0. Most recently, they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at Lake Tahoe in the COVID-shortened 2021 regular season without fans.

They also fell short in two home games, both against the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in 2016 and against Los Angeles at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in 2020.

All three of those were Stadium Series games rather than the more prestigious Winter Classic.

“We’re excited and honored that the League selected us for the Winter Classic,” Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said in a team release. “The Avalanche organization is always proud to be in consideration for marquee events like this. We’re looking forward to being matched up with a great team and represent the Rocky Mountain region in a game that appeals to these two markets in this part of the country.”

Utah entered the league in 2024-25. Led by team owner Ryan Smith, the newly-named Mammoth have become a stable franchise after moving from Arizona.

The league has not yet released an exact date for the game, but commissioner Gary Bettman said it’ll slot in around the usual timeframe for a Winter Classic. This year’s event took place on Jan. 2 in Miami.