In January, the NHL announced the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series will be comprised of two games: the Wild vs. Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium Sunday, Feb. 21, at 3:30 p.m. ET and the Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. ET.
The Wild-Blackhawks game will be broadcast live in the U.S. on NBC as part of a Hockey Day in America tripleheader on NBC and NBCSN. In Canada, the event will be televised live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
A special game featuring alumni from the Wild, Blackhawks and Minnesota North Stars will take place at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 20, a day prior to the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series. The 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series marks the first time the Wild will participate in a regular-season outdoor NHL game.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "We are pleased to bring the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series to 'the State of Hockey' as a highlight of the Hockey Day in America triple-header on NBC and NBCSN and as part of USA Hockey's national celebration of our sport, Hockey Weekend Across America. With so much great hockey having been played on the University of Minnesota campus, TCF Bank Stadium will serve as an ideal setting for this outdoor renewal of the Wild-Blackhawks rivalry."
Minnesota Wild Owner Craig Leipold: "The Minnesota Wild is thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our favorite game with our fans in the great outdoors on a national stage. TCF Bank Stadium will be a wonderful site for both games and the NHL has provided our fans with a great opponent in the Chicago Blackhawks. We look forward to an incredible weekend of hockey against our division rival."
Blackhawks President & CEO John McDonough: "We are looking forward to facing the Wild in the State of Hockey, in front of an extremely passionate fan base. This game will add another chapter to the well-established rivalry between the Blackhawks and Wild."
NHLPA Divisional Player Rep Joe Reekie: "The players are excited about the opportunity to take this great rivalry outdoors in what will undoubtedly be an incredible atmosphere at TCF Stadium. This game will be something the players on the ice and fans in attendance will remember for a long time."
Rivals in the Central Division, the Wild and Blackhawks, who have faced each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs three consecutive years, boast talented rosters.
David Kroll, chief marketing officer, MillerCoors: "Coors Light is proud to bring these world-class NHL teams to one of the best stadiums in the country. Minneapolis will be a great host city and we look forward to being there to refresh NHL fans in the way that only Coors Light can."
Minnesota
The Wild features Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Thomas Vanek at forward, with All-Star Ryan Suter on defense and Devan Dubnyk, the 2014-15 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, in goal. The defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks are led by Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook and Corey Crawford. This group has made a combined 17 appearances in regular-season outdoor NHL games.
Former players from the Wild and North Stars will combine forces on behalf of the State of Hockey to face off against former Blackhawks greats. Team Minnesota is scheduled to include Brad Bombardir, Neal Broten, Andrew Brunette, Dino Ciccarelli, Darby Hendrickson, Antti Laaksonen, Mike Modano, Bobby Smith, Wes Walz and more. Team Minnesota will be coached by Lou Nanne and Tom Reid.
Chicago
The Blackhawks roster also spans a number of different eras from the NHL, and is scheduled to include Ed Belfour, Denis Savard, Jeremy Roenick, Eddie Olczyk and more. Tony Esposito and broadcaster Pat Foley will coach the team.
Information on priority access for Wild season-ticket holders to purchase tickets will be sent by the club in the coming days. Blackhawks season-ticket holders and University of Minnesota football season-ticket holders will receive similar information. The opportunity is for a limited number of tickets and will be available on a first-come first-served basis, while supplies last. The special pre-sale package offering is a ticket to the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series and a ticket to the Feb. 20 alumni game. Information regarding any ticket availability for the general public will be released at a later date.
The Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings of the late 1990s and early 2000s will reignite their rivalry in an alumni game Feb. 26 at Coors Field in Denver, one day before the 2015-16 Avalanche and Red Wings play outdoors in the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series. The alumni game will begin at 7 p.m. ET.
From 1996-2002, Detroit and Colorado combined to win the Stanley Cup five times (Red Wings: 1997, 1998, 2002; Avalanche: 1996, 2001). They met in the playoffs five times in seven seasons; the Avalanche won three of the five series.
More players will be announced at a later date.
Colorado
Former Colorado captain Joe Sakic will be joined by fellow Hockey Hall of Fame members Peter Forsberg, Rob Blake and Patrick Roy in the alumni game, according to the Avalanche website. Sakic, who played his entire career with the Quebec Nordiques/Avalanche franchise, is Colorado's executive vice president of hockey operations, and Roy is entering his third season as Avalanche coach.
"We have had an outstanding rivalry with the Red Wings during those years," Sakic said. "We are looking forward to experiencing this grand outdoor setting and a special weekend of hockey in Denver."
Detroit
Playing for the Red Wings alumni will be forwards Brendan Shanahan and Igor Larionov, and defensemen Chris Chelios and Nicklas Lidstrom.
Launched in 2014 by the NHL, the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series has featured five games to date, all played in sold out stadiums. The series started at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with the NHL's first outdoor game played in California, showcased the first two hockey games ever played at Yankee Stadium, continued with the first-ever NHL game at Soldier Field and returned to California for another successful event at Levi's Stadium.
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