Report: Ohio Stadium hosting 2025 NHL Stadium Series game featuring Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming to The Shoe.

According to The Hockey News Columbus, the Blue Jackets will host a 2025 NHL Stadium Series game inside Ohio Stadium, the home of Ohio State’s football team. Sources told the outlet Tuesday that the game would be held “on or around” March 1, 2025. The Detroit Red Wings are the rumored opponent.

Both Ohio State and the Blue Jackets did not confirm the report.

“There is no news that we can confirm or report on at this time regarding an outdoor hockey game,” a member of Ohio State’s athletic department said in a statement to the outlet.

The Blue Jackets did confirm in November that discussions to host a Stadium Series game were taking place.

“We remain very interested in and excited about hosting an outdoor game, and have had numerous discussions with the NHL and Ohio State about doing so,” Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said, via The Columbus Dispatch. “Those discussions are continuing.”

Blue Jackets finally getting an outdoor game at Ohio Stadium?

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman previously said the “main holdup” for scheduling the event has been the “cost of winterizing the stadium.” 39 NHL games have been played outside since the first Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers in 2023. The Blue Jackets are one of three teams that have yet to participate in an outdoor game, along with the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers. The Blackhawks have appeared in the most outdoor games among NHL teams (six).

From 2008-2013, four of the six games held outside took place on New Year’s Day in the annual Winter Classic (the 2012 Winter Classic was on Jan. 2). The NHL expanded its outdoor games schedule in 2014, introducing the Stadium Series. The amount of Stadium Series games per season has fluctuated in recent years, with two scheduled for this season.

The NHL confirmed earlier Tuesday that the 2025 Winter Classic will take place at Wrigley Field between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. Wrigley Field hosted the 2009 Winter Classic between the Blackhawks and Red Wings.