It's tough to think of outdoor hockey in the snow when the weather has been so nice lately, but with talk of more Stadium Series next NHL season, let's take a look at five cities that will hopefully see an outdoor game in the near future.
1. St. Paul, Minnesota
Minnesota is known as the "State of Hockey", and for good reason. Why the Wild have never hosted, let alone played in a Winter Classic is beyond comprehension to any hockey fan.
The Twin Cities have an excellent hockey fanbase, a great hockey tradition and the perfect climate for an outdoor battle. What's not to love?
2. Denver, Colorado
The Colorado Avalanche, another team that is yet to participate in an outdoor hockey game, could play outdoors at either Coors Field (home of the Rockies) or Sports Authority Field at Mile High (home of the Broncos). This would be a unique opportunity for the league, as a Winter Classic or Stadium Series game in the Mile High City at the foot of the Rocky Mountains would have quite the backdrop.
3. St. Louis, Missouri
See a trend here? Great hockey cities with cold winter climates in the Central Division with teams that somehow have not played in an outdoor game?
The St. Louis Blues are one of the elite teams in the NHL and have some of the league's loudest and most passionate fans. Busch Stadium seems like it would be a perfect site for an outdoor game against a team like Minnesota, Chicago or Detroit.
The Blues have been around since the 1967-68 season, but have never won a Stanley Cup. At least give those loyal fans an outdoor game, eh?
4. Toronto, Ontario
While the Maple Leafs may not be as good as the three teams mentioned above and just participated in the most recent Winter Classic, Toronto is still known as the capital of the hockey world.
Their fans definitely showed up in Ann Arbor as the Leafs and Red Wings took the ice at Michigan Stadium this past New Year's Day; imagine what it would be like if the game was played in Toronto...against a rival like Montreal or Ottawa.
5. San Francisco Bay Area
The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings played an outdoor game at Dodger Stadium last year. So if two Southern California teams can play an outdoor game, why can't the Northern California team with an even more dedicated fanbase get one?
The Sharks have been one of the NHL's best teams in the past decade, and playing in San Jose has been known to be extremely difficult for opponents as the SAP Center (affectionately known as the "Shark Tank") may be the loudest buildings in hockey.
An outdoor game at either AT&T Park or Levi's Stadium would produce a trememdous atmosphere and may have more hockey-friendly weather than last year's luau in Los Angeles.