David Zalubowski / Associated Press
The NHL is planning to play two outdoor games – the Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights on February 20 and the Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins on February 21 – at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Lake Tahoe in Nevada.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Friday that the two-day showcase will take place between holes 16 and 18 on the resort’s famous golf course, which hosts an annual celebrity tournament. No fans will be present, but the league plans to use technology like drone cameras to improve the viewing experience.
Lake Tahoe was chosen based on its “wild nature”, according to Friedman. It is a picturesque location that should give the feeling of lake hockey, creating a unique atmosphere in a year in which fan participation is expected to remain limited or non-existent, depending on the teams’ local guidelines against coronavirus.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw the NHL postpone the 2021 Winter Classic, which usually takes place on New Year’s Day, and the 2021 Stadium Series, which was scheduled for February.
Hosting these events in large stadiums without spectators would not make sense, and it would have been a shame for the host teams, Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes, not to have their fans present on special occasions.
Therefore, the NHL opted for a different type of environment in Lake Tahoe to maintain at least a few outdoor games on its 2021 schedule. They have become a major draw for the league since the first Winter Classic was held in Buffalo in 2008.
For now, playing games in a remote location without fans is a “one-year project,” according to Friedman. It is possible that it will become an annual occurrence like the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series if it is successful.
Lake Louise, in Alberta, Canada, and Park City, Utah, were also considered before the league selected Lake Tahoe, according to the Sportsnet report.
The 2021 season, which has been shortened to 56 games from the normal 82, is scheduled to start on January 13 with divisions restructured to accommodate a Canadian grouping.
All four teams set to participate in the Lake Tahoe games are legitimate contestants entering the new campaign.