The 2026 edition of the Winter Classic saw the New York Rangers knock off the Florida Panthers, but for a second straight year, television ratings failed to crack a million viewers. From a television perspective, there's room to change a few things with the game.
For the first time in NHL history, Miami, Florida, took center stage for a Winter Classic as the Florida Panthers took on hosting duties for their first-ever outdoor game.
While they'd fall to the New York Rangers 5-1 on the strength of a Mika Zibanejad hat trick, the warmest Winter Classic in history didn't translate well to a strong television audience. For a second straight year, U.S. television ratings fell below a million viewers, with 2025's game being the first to do so.
While the Winter Classic has primarily been built for the in-stadium experience rather than for those watching on television, the game from 2008 until 2019 drew no fewer than two million viewers in the American audience.
Several reasons have been put forward for why fans have cooled on turning on the game, from network to location, but it's clear the NHL has to address the trend as long as the game remains a long-standing crown jewel event.
Watch Avry Lewis-McDougall's video column above with suggestions on how to get the NHL Winter Classic back on track.
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