The ball was dropped on the NHL's experiment to stage the Winter Classic on New Year's Eve. Tuesday's game between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks in the open air at Wrigley Field garnered the worst viewership ratings in the 17-year history of the annual event,

Classic has been a long-standing tradition in hockey, but the 2025 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field will be the first time the game is set to be played on New Year's Eve. In previous years, the NHL Winter Classic was part of New Year's Day festivities

Iconic Wrigley Field will again host the NHL’s showcase event, this time with the Chicago Blackhawks and 2024 Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard and Jordan Kyrou and the St. Louis Blues, in a rematch of the 2017 game played at Busch Stadium in St.