It’s been 17 years since the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off in the first NHL Winter Classic, an immensely memorable event that saw the face of the league, the Pens’ Sidney Crosby, score the game-winning shootout goal at snowy Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Now, as the NFL’s Buffalo Bills prepare to open their new venue in 2026 (New Highmark Stadium), the Sabres are trying to bring an outdoor hockey game back to the area.
Pete Guelli, who serves as the Chief Operating Officer for both the Bills and Sabres, told Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic they’ve been in discussions with the NHL, and “we’re in the process of kind of looking at the dates that might make the most sense” for a Winter Classic or Stadium Series game.
“They would love to have it here,” Guelli said Wednesday. “The first outdoor game in NHL history was hosted here in Buffalo. It was a big success. It will be fun to maybe memorialize that event with another one here in this market and to do it at the new stadium. I think it’s the perfect venue.”
Now the question is, if the Sabres are successful in their quest, which teams would make the most sense as a potential opponent.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
The most obvious option available is a rematch with the Penguins on the 20th anniversary of the first Winter Classic, New Year’s Day 2028. It also helps Pittsburgh is a three-hour drive from the Bills’ stadium, making it accessible to both fanbases.
Perhaps the biggest secondary question is whether Crosby, who’s now 37 years old, will still be playing in 2028. The center’s contract with Pittsburgh runs through 2026-27, and he’s yet to suggest retirement is imminent. He’s still playing at elite level, scoring 91 points in 80 games last season.
Nostalgia sells, and a Sabres-Penguins Winter Classic rematch two decades later fits the bill. Hopefully Mother Nature would do her part and provide the snow globe effect once again if the matchup does come to fruition.
2. Edmonton Oilers
If not Crosby, how about his heir apparent as the NHL’s golden goose, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid. Although McDavid is entering the final season of his contract with Edmonton and could hit the free-agent market next summer, it’s hard to see him leaving the Cup-contending franchise.
Assuming he stays, playing a Winter Classic against the Sabres would have plenty of underlying stories. Most notably, Buffalo was an active participant in the “McEichel” sweepstakes, a widespread tanking effort to land either McDavid or Jack Eichel in the 2015 draft. The Sabres received the No. 2 pick and selected Eichel, who was later traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
But Buffalo fans were enamored with McDavid, who played junior hockey just a few hours away with the OHL’s Erie Otters. As a result, winning the lottery to land No. 97 will always be a “what if” moment for the Sabres organization.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs could easily be No. 2 on the list but there’s a problem: Does the NHL want an outdoor game hosted by a team that’ll feel like its playing on the road? Right now, any Sabres-Leafs games played in Buffalo feature a high volume of fans from The Six.
It makes sense, of course. Toronto is a short drive across the border and it’s a chance for Leafs fans faced with sky-high prices at Scotiabank Arena to get far cheaper tickets to see their team. The Sabres’ struggles leave a lot of empty seats on a nightly basis at KeyBank Center.
While there’s no doubt a Winter Classic would retain more Sabres fans, the exact split is hard to predict. A 50-50 crowd should be entertaining given the teams’ longtime rivalry, but it’d be a bad look for the NHL to host an event in one city if 80% of the fans are cheering for the opponent.
Other intriguing options include Eichel and the Golden Knights, Sam Reinhart and the Florida Panthers or another Canadian Atlantic Division rival, the Montreal Canadiens or Ottawa Senators.
