Here we go! The 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic festivities officially start Sunday, so we thought it was a good time to throw together a rundown of things you should know for this massive tentpole event being hosted on the West Coast for the first time ever.
The teams
Vegas Golden Knights
First off, the teams playing in the Winter Classic (12 p.m. PT on Jan. 1; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS) have been going in different directions recently. After a historic start to the season for the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights (22-10-5, second place in Pacific Division), they’ve struggled recently and have had goaltending woes sparked by an injury to Adin Hill.
Hill is on injured reserve, and Logan Thompson has had some rough games in his stead, giving up six goals to Carolina on Dec. 19 and five goals to Anaheim on Dec. 27. But after losing to the Ducks, he got another start the very next night at home against the Los Angeles Kings and bounced back to make 32 saves in a 3-2 Golden Knights win at home. That win snapped a four-game losing streak for Vegas, which has also lost five of its last seven (2-5-0).
Seattle Kraken
Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Kraken (14-14-9, fourth place in the Pacific Division) have turned things around dramatically since snapping a miserable eight-game winless streak that ran from Nov. 24 through Dec. 10. They’ve since ripped off points in eight straight (6-0-2) and have won four games in a row, including a dramatic 2-1 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.
The Kraken also have an injury in their goaltending department, with Philipp Grubauer having been on the shelf since Dec. 9. In Grubauer’s absence, Joey Daccord has stepped in and dazzled with a .949 save percentage in his last seven starts. Daccord is on fire, and that has allowed Seattle to win a bunch of low-scoring games of late.
T-Mobile Park
We had the incredibly good fortune of skating on the completed rink at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, and it was an unforgettable thrill. We are happy to report that although the fresh ice looks like it has cracks in it, it is in very good shape; much smoother than outdoor rinks we’ve skated on in the past, which makes sense, since the best ice makers in the world get brought in for these outdoor games. They have been helped in the build process by T-Mobile Park’s retractable roof, which has remained closed (we expect it to be open on game day).
We like the details the NHL has worked into the ice, including the rope design running up the blue lines and the compasses in the face-off dots.
Nautical theming is EVERYWHERE in T-Mobile Park, with a shipwreck in center field serving as the stage for musical acts Heart, Sir Mix-a-lot, and Nikhil Bagga. There’s also a boathouse in left field that will be the set for the TNT broadcast and docks that the players will walk down en route from the dugouts to the ice. The set pieces on the field are positioned in ways that will not restrict views for any fans in the stadium.
Practices
Both teams will practice Sunday at T-Mobile Park. The Golden Knights take the ice at 9 a.m. Pacific, and the Kraken will skate at 11 a.m.
The Golden Knights practice will be streamed on YouTube here.
The Kraken practice can be viewed on YouTube by clicking here.
Going to the game?
One thing to know about outdoor hockey games is that sight lines tend to be quite bad. After going down to field level at T-Mobile Park, we can confidently say that if you’re sitting in the first few rows of the lower level on the first- and third-base sides or behind home plate, you will not be able to see much; just the top halves of the players floating around above the boards.
For fans seated higher up, you will be able to see the whole ice surface, but the players will be very far away. There really is no perfect seat for viewing, because there’s significant space between the playing surface and the stands. That’s just how it is.
Of course, regardless of where you’re sitting, you will be able to watch the game on the massive screen in center field, but it’s important to remember that the Winter Classic is about the ambiance and the experience of the day. It’s a real game, but we will be there to have a good time and celebrate the sport we love.
Transportation and bag policy
Here is the official verbiage we received about transportation to the game:
- Free Transit GO Opportunity
- Fans are encouraged to take public transportation to T-Mobile Park for the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic. Transit GO is offering free reward points to all ticketholders to the New Year’s Day outdoor game.
- Fans can download the Transit GO Ticket app and use the code Classic24 to claim and redeem 800 Rewards points for mobile tickets to the LINK Light rail and other public transit methods to use on game day.
Here is what we received on the bag policy at T-Mobile Park:
- Bag Policy and Medical Device Bags
- Bags must be 4” x 6” x 1.5” or smaller (the size of a small purse or clutch). Clear bags, backpacks, duffel bags, tote bags, oversized purses, and other similar style bags as well as hard-sided coolers are NOT permitted in T-Mobile Park. Exceptions will only be made for diaper bags and bags containing essential medical equipment. All bags will be subject to a security screening. Please pay close attention to the prohibited items listed below.
- Please note this is a change from the standard T-Mobile Park bag policy for Seattle Mariners games and other events at the ballpark.
Fan Village
The Enterprise NHL Fan Village is free and open to the public, regardless of if you have a ticket to the game. It is open both Sunday and Monday, but with varying hours. The event will be held in the lot just north of Lumen Field.
On Sunday, the fan village will start at the conclusion of the Seahawks game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (estimated 4:30 p.m.) and will run until 8 p.m.
On Monday, the fan village will be open pre-game from 9-11:30 a.m., and then again post-game from 3-7 p.m.
Learn more about the fan village here.
“Breakaway” fan event
There will also be an all-day, open-to-the-public event at the Boxyard / Hatback Bar on Monday. This sounds like a pretty solid pre-game/post-game option, and it will also be a place to watch the game if you don’t have a ticket. This event is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Head and the Heart will perform at 10:45 a.m., and Fitz and the Tantrums will perform at 3:30 p.m. This event is also free. Learn more about the “Breakaway” event here.
LET’S DO THIS!
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.