By Elijah Alvarado, Sports Editor
While Tampa’s warm climate may not seem best for outdoor ice hockey, that is about to change for the people of Tampa Bay. Tampa is set to host its first ever outdoor stadium series, and this is drawing attention all across the city.
On Sunday, Feb. 1, the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins, in the first ever National Hockey League outdoor stadium series to be played in Tampa, Florida. The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium, which is the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the USF Bulls football team.
Tampa has hosted several special events, so bringing an outdoor stadium series is another special event for the city.
A local Lightning fan of 20 years, Phillip Hatlem, sports business instructor II at Saint Leo University, provides his insight after hearing the news of this historic moment.
“I really thought—it’s about time. Given the stature in the NHL of the Lightning Organization, I actually thought it would have happened sooner,” said Hatlem.
As this event approaches, Lightning fans are increasing in excitement. This is another spotlight moment for the city of Tampa to shine.
“[Having this event is] another chance to ‘show off’ as a destination for major sporting events,” said Hatlem.
While this is the first NHL outdoor stadium series game in Tampa, this is not the first time the Tampa Bay Lightning has played in an outdoor stadium series game. So far, the Tampa Bay Lightning have played in one stadium series, in which they faced the Nashville Predators at Nissan Stadium in 2022.
Due to the game being played in the hometown of the Tampa Bay Lightning, it allows them the opportunity to play in front of their fan base. This also makes it easier for fans to attend without having to worry about traveling hassle.
“[Having a special event like this is] just great for Lightning fans to experience,” said Hatlem.
Traditional hockey is played indoors where the air conditioner is running cold for the ice, but these teams in the NHL are used to playing in big arenas.
Traditional hockey arenas have different seating layouts that give fans a different perspective of the game, which the players will not be able to experience as it will be absent in Raymond James stadium.
“I would think not having anything [the crowd]behind the glass would be strange for the players,” said Hatlem.
While this may be the first NHL outdoor stadium series game in Tampa, there have been other league tournaments that included outdoor experiences. Just a few weeks ago, the 2026 NHL Winter Classic was held at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.
John Powers, a sophomore and a sports business major at Saint Leo, shares his unforgettable experience and how it sets his level of excitement for the upcoming outdoor game.
“Once the puck dropped, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric. The crowd brought nonstop energy, matching the excitement and significance of Florida hosting its first-ever outdoor NHL game,” said Powers.
Even though Florida does occasionally get a few cold fronts throughout the winter, it doesn’t last long enough to keep the ice frozen. Also, one of the biggest concerns for any outdoor events, including this one, is how the rain might affect the ice.
Florida gets tons of rain showers, which can be significant on how this game plays out. However, according to Tampa Bay 28 News, it turns out the NHL can expect temperature in the low 40s with clear skies.
Even with temperatures in the low 40s, it is still expected to be the warmest stadium series game in history, so they will manage to keep the ice frozen with a special customized tarp, which will be removed just hours before the puck drops.
The Tampa Bay Lightning had a great start to their season, and fans are hoping that solid momentum will continue into this game. Lightning will face off against the Boston Bruins, a matchup fans are eager to watch.
“Just hope they continue the hot streak they are on, and of course, that they beat Boston!” said Hatlem.
