The Winter Classic has been the NHL's signature outdoor event since 2008, when the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres played through picturesque snow and launched an institution. The St. Louis Blues' 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field marked the 16th edition of the Winter Classic.
Even when returning to previously used venues, the Classic continues to grow and change every season. Each game has its signature virtues -- and in some cases, unique drawbacks. Here's a subjective ranking of the Classics and their relative greatness.
We've assigned a score of 1 to 10 in four categories for each outdoor game: Environment , which covers the novelty of the venue and the elements that challenged teams during the game Hype , which covers the buzz leading up to the Winter Classic, as well as the allure of the teams involved The Game itself, and whether it was competitive, boring or rendered unwatchable by the conditions Style , as we consider how good the teams looked in their Winter Classic gear Here is our ranking of the 16 Winter Classic events: 16. 2025: Wrigley Field St. Louis Blues 6, Chicago Blackhawks 2 (18 points) Environment: 7 Hype: 4 Game: 2 Style: 5 The NHL's outdoor games can be split up into two eras: The one before Steve Mayer arrived as Chief Content Officer in 2015 and everything after it.
He's the one that helped bring the fun for these outdoor games, with quirky aesthetics, a real sense of staging and a boldness in scope. Editor's Picks Standout .
