The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Boston Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium in the 2019 Winter Classic, according to Barstool Sports Chicago. The news hasn’t been announced officially yet, but that will apparently come later this month.
This season will be the first time that the Blackhawks aren’t playing an outdoor game since 2012-13. They’ve become a staple of the NHL’s annual slate of games played in stadiums usually known to host baseball or football.
Given that the Blackhawks have already hosted games at Soldier Field and Wrigley Field, taking the Winter Classic to Notre Dame seems like a natural next step. The team has hosted training camp there in the past, and the lack of an NHL team in Indiana means that a lot of fans in the region root for the Hawks.
Assuming this goes down, it will be the first time that the Blackhawks have faced Boston in an outdoor game. The Bruins hosted the Flyers at Fenway Park in 2010, then faced the Canadiens at Gillette Stadium last year.
This season’s outdoor slate includes three games: Canadiens-Senators at TD Place Stadium on Dec. 16, Rangers-Sabres at Citi Field on Jan. 1, and Maple Leafs-Capitals at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on March 3.
Surely everyone will be thrilled to discover the Blackhawks are playing in another outdoor game. There will be no jokes.