NHL Outdoors In Utah: When Will It Happen?

The NHL's State of the League press conference Saturday included Gary Bettman hinting at a possible future outdoor game in Florida. Is Utah coming soon after?

The headlines Saturday were dominated by the Stanley Cup Final beginning in Sunrise, while Macklin Celebrini and others showed off their fitness to prospective suitors in Buffalo.

Meanwhile, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh held their annual State of the League press conference Saturday, where Bettman broached the idea of an outdoor game in the Sunshine State.

The next phrase from Greg Wyshynski says:

"After next season, the Panthers and Utah will be the only teams not to have participated in an NHL stadium game."

It makes you think how inevitable an outdoor game is in the Beehive State.

Can you imagine, 55,000 to 65,000-plus bundled-up fans in the cold and snow at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake?

The NHL is wont to show playoff-contending teams in outdoor games, especially in the Winter Classic, but with Salt Lake City attempting to bid on the 2034 Winter Olympics, it would be a massive opportunity to showcase the city's readiness.

Yes, there's a lot to figure out, especially with the redevelopment of downtown up in the air and Temple Square's renovation still at least up to five years away from being done.

But with how aggressive Utah Governor Spencer Cox and owner Ryan Smith want to be, you know they want to make it happen, and happen now.

To me, it's not a question of if Utah gets an outdoor game, but when.

When it will actually happen? That's now up to the powers-to-be in the NHL office.

Utah's proven they're ready. Let's give them a chance.