NHL Announces Winter Classic/All-Star Weekend Postponements

On NHL.com, the National Hockey League said they will be postponing the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.

This was the year the Minnesota Wild were the featured and hosting hockey team with the St. Louis Blues to be played at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Florida Panthers were the host team for the 2021 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.  The NHL said the postponements were because of the pandemic and ".....the ongoing uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus."

The NHL also stated they intended to go back in 2022 to the same locations to hold those games with those host cities.

The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Minnesota Wild facing the St. Louis Blues at Target Field in Minneapolis was scheduled for Jan. 1, 2021. The Florida Panthers were to host the 2021 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, scheduled for Jan. 29-30, 2021. The events have been postponed due to the ongoing uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus. The League intends to return to Minnesota and Florida for these signature events in the near future.

The NHL just finished a short season and the NHL said these decisions will not impact the agreement to start the season on January 1st as they agreed to on October 6th.

Meanwhile, Hockey Day Minnesota to be held in Mankato will be postponed to 2021 as well. The event which celebrated hockey in Minnesota from Pee Wees to High School said the pandemic was to blame. Fox Sports North said they will cover the event in 2022 when it comes back.