Bills' new stadium likely to welcome future NHL outdoor games

The Buffalo Bills are in talks to host multiple marquee hockey events after their new stadium opens for the 2026 NFL season

Dec 31, 2008; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Henrik Zetterberg (40) skates across center ice during practice for the Winter Classic against the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field. | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

While the Buffalo Bills are woven into the fabric of Western New York, Buffalo is unquestionably an extremely passionate hockey town, too.

After all, it was the Bills who hosted the inaugural NHL Winter Classic between the hometown Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins at then-Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2008.

With the Bills set to open a brand-new stadium in 2026, the Winter Classic may be coming back to Western New York again soon.

“I think they're [chances of hosting a future Winter Classic] excellent. I've been in constant dialogue with the NHL as well. They know we're interested," said Bills and Sabres COO Pete Guelli during an interview with WGR's Sal Capaccio at the NFL owners' spring meetings.

Usually played on New Year's Day, while the NFL season is still active, the most-recent Winter Classic featured the Chicago Blackhawks against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024.

"The Winter Classic would be a little bit more dependent on the Bills schedule. So the stadium series is something that's in play as well. We want one of those events," said Guelli.

Established in 2014, the NHL Stadium Series has become an annual tradition that features either one or two games each winter. The 2025 edition consisted of one game in Columbus, OH, and it set the series attendance record. An announced 94,571 attendees witnessed the Columbus Bluejackets' 5-3 win over the Detroit Redwings on March 1 at the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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"We want it as soon as we're operational. I believe 28 is the 20th anniversary of the first Winter Classic. So something that may be coincided with that would be great, but the league's aware and we're literally talking to them on a consistent basis about trying to get one of those events here," said Guelli.

The NHL outdoor games fit the philosophy of making the new Highmark Stadium a destination for more than Bills games.

"Obviously, we're talking about the NFL Draft. We're talking about the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series, potentially. We're targeting big events, so we're going to need room to do those," said Guelli. "We're trying to determine what's the best layout so we can kind of constructively build a plan to host as many events during the season and off season as possible.”

People mill around the stadium before the start of the preseason game against Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug. 24, 2024. Behind them the new stadium is taking shape. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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