PITTSBURGH — The National Hockey League announced the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and the 2021 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend are postponed due to the ongoing uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Winter Classic was to be played at Target Field in Minneapolis between the Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues.
The league’s all-star game was to be hosted by the Florida Panthers and played at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.
“Fan participation, both in arenas and stadiums as well as in the ancillary venues and events that we stage around the Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend, is integral to the success of our signature events,” said Steve Mayer, NHL senior executive president and chief content officer. “Because of the uncertainty as to when we will be able to welcome our fans back to our games, we felt that the prudent decision at this time was to postpone these celebrations until 2022 when our fans should be able to enjoy and celebrate these tentpole events in-person, as they were always intended. We are also considering several new and creative events that will allow our fans to engage with our games and teams during this upcoming season.”
The NHL is hoping to start their next season on or around Jan. 1.