The NHL released an artist’s rendering Tuesday of the 2016 Stadium Series game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild on Feb. 21 at TCF Bank Stadium might look like.
The rink will be centered at the University of Minnesota’s football stadium in Minneapolis. Half of the stadium is filled with red for Chicago, while Minnesota fans primarily don green. Six fans are shown, one wearing a black and red knit cap and another wearing a Jonathan Toews red sweater for the Chicago contingent. The other four fans are wearing Minnesota sweaters: two Zach Parise sweaters (one red and one green), a green Mikko Koivu sweater and a red Devan Dubnyk sweater.
An overcast sky and snow is shown, but only one fan is wearing a knit hat? OK, NHL. At least, it has a fuzzy ball on top! The video board is likely predicting the future with Blackhawks’ goaltender Corey Crawford stopping a shot from Parise.
It will be the Hawks’ second Stadium Series game and fourth outdoor game. Chicago hosted the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field and also hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2014 Stadium Series at Soldier Field. Last year, the Hawks played the Washington Capitals in the Winter Classic at National Park in Washington, D.C.
Chicago has lost both games this season to Minnesota, 5-4 on Oct. 30 at Minnesota and 2-1 on Dec. 1 at United Center.