MIAMI — The NHL is making history in Miami with its 2026 Discover Winter Classic on Friday, and fans got a taste of the excitement hours before the puck dropped.

The pregame festivities at loanDepot Park offered food, live music from Role Model, appearances by NHL stars and a chance for fans to test their hockey skills — on land, not ice.

The event marks the first Winter Classic ever held in South Florida, and the league aimed to make it a big experience for attendees. Vince Granieri, NHL senior director of events, described the pregame as “the appetizer for the main event.

“We really wanted to enhance the stadium and not have fans walk in with nothing to do,” Granieri added.

Inside the stadium in Little Havana, which is home to the Miami Marlins, an ice rink stood where the diamond normally sits. The NHL said it took 10 days to build, using technology designed to keep the ice frozen even when the retractable roof is open.

The Winter Classic features the Florida Panthers hosting the New York Rangers at 8 p.m. ET. The game is the southernmost outdoor NHL game ever and carries a “Miami Ice” theme.

The Panthers enter the game 21-15-3 with 45 points, aiming for a third consecutive Stanley Cup championship. The Rangers are 19-18-5 with 43 points and have lost three straight games.

LoanDepot Park’s retractable roof is a major factor in maintaining ice quality, allowing the NHL to bring its signature outdoor game to a region known for heat and humidity.

NHL brings Winter Classic to Miami as Panthers take on Rangers

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