Winter Classic Could Return to Original City

The first Winter Classic was played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York, between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins. This game marked the beginning of a historic trend of where the NHL now is at with the Winter Classic in 2025. Every hockey fan should remember the result of this game and how historic it was.

Sidney Crosby won the game for the Penguins in the shootout against Sabres goalie and Hall-of-Famer Ryan Miller. Everyone should remember the goal call from legendary retired broadcaster Doc Emrick, "The game on his stick right here... score! Penguins win!" That ending marked what is now 24 straight years of the Winter Classic.

The Winter Classic is something that hockey fans get to enjoy watching right after the Christmas season. Something that is hosted either at baseball stadiums or NFL stadiums or college football stadiums, you name it. It is something that for hockey fans is and has been a tradition for so many years now.

For Bettman to be considering trying to get the Winter Classic back to Buffalo, especially after the Bills new stadium is completed soon in the near future, would be quite the moment for Buffalo fans. Last time the Sabres were in the Winter Classic, they took on the New York Rangers on the road at Citi Field in Flushing, New York where the New York Mets play.

This Winter Classic was played in 2018, where the Rangers would be the eventual winners by a score of 3-2 in overtime thanks to now captain J.T. Miller. Miller was a Ranger back then and recently became a New York Ranger again near last year's NHL Trade Deadline. The Sabres likely getting to host the Winter Classic again in a brand-new stadium would be something for the great fans of Buffalo and would really drive in viewership.