Who and Where Will New Jersey Devils Next Stadium Series Be?
With the success of Saturday night's Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium between the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers, we examine who and where the Devils next outdoor opponent will be.
This past weekend, the New Jersey Devils took part in one of the biggest games in recent memory against the Philadelphia Flyers at MetLife Stadium. For the first time in a decade, the Devils participated in the NHL's Stadium Series. In front of over 70,000 crazed hockey fans, the Devils came away with a victory in an important Metro Division showdown.
For Devils fans, this was the first taste of outdoor hockey on the national stage since that horrid game against the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium a decade ago. Only this time around the team gave their fans something to cheer for, a 6-3 win.
The atmosphere, in-stadium production, and the game itself were all top-tier. A sea of red took over the biggest NFL stadium in the country. The chants of "you suck" rained down as the Devils' goal song, "Howl," was played live. It was a night that from beginning to end was a celebration of not just the Devils, but the fans and the great state of New Jersey.
While the attention now turns to the rest of the season and the Devils push for the playoffs, it will be interesting to see if the success from Saturday night leads to more outdoor games in the near future. It's a young and exciting team here in New Jersey, and it shouldn't be too long before they are at the top of the mountain.
Odds are that it will be a few years before the Devils play another outdoor game. However, there are a few potential interesting and exciting matchups that could happen. Projecting a few years into the future, here are a few outdoor ideas that would be great for the Devils, their fans, and the league.
New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium
Yes, let's run it back. The Hudson River Rivalry is the most obvious choice for an outdoor game in the national spotlight. Many had thought this should've been the matchup this past weekend. However, it was smarter to let the game be about the Devils and put the spotlight on New Jersey rather than New York and the Rangers.
The Rangers don't look like they're going away anytime soon, and the Devils should be peaking a few years from now. Having two juggernauts who happen to be massive rivals, go head-to-head at an outdoor game would do huge numbers for the league.
As for the venue, MetLife can be taken out of the running since it just hosted. Citi Field would be a good option, too, but Yankee Stadium has the size and pedigree to host another one of these games. It has a capacity of a little over 46,000, nearly 40,000 less than MetLife. However, it's much more condensed, leaving for an intimate atmosphere. There are likely a few more playoff series between these two teams over the next couple of years, further growing the rivalry, making for a perfect outdoor environment.
Carolina Hurricanes at Bank of America Stadium
The Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils have begun to form a sneaky good rivalry in recent years. They've met each other in the playoffs in the past, but after last year's second-round matchup, the rivalry has reignited.
The Hurricanes were the host of a Stadium Series game last season against the Washington Capitals at Carter-Finely Stadium, home of NC State's football team. That stadium holds just over 57,000. Meanwhile, Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers, holds over 73,000. Also, the NHL and Carolina have shown that they can hold outdoor games in warmer climates.
The Devils and Hurricanes look to be on a collision course to fight for the Metropolitan Divison and meet in the playoffs for years to come. Unfortunately, history has been on the side of the Hurricanes when these two meet in the playoffs. Although, a Devils win changes the landscape of the rivalry.
Maybe it's the hatred between the Hurricanes fans and Erik Haula, or between the fans themselves, but these two teams DO NOT get along with each other. Give it a few more years and a few more playoff matchups before these two tangle outdoors, but when the time comes, that game will be must-watch.
Buffalo Sabres at New Highmark Stadium
This matchup is projected for a few years from now, but the Devils and Sabres are on similar-ish trajectories and timelines despite the Devils being a little further ahead in their rebuild. The Sabres boast loads of high-end, young talent. They have been a team on the come-up that hasn't quite figured it out just yet, but when they do, they'll be a force in the league.
Not only is this projecting out where these two teams will be in a few years, but it is also projecting the construction of the new Highmark Stadium. The current stadium is home to the Buffalo Bills and has a capacity of over 71,000. The New Highmark Stadium is projected to seat a little less, 62,000, but will be a state-of-the-art, $1.7 billion stadium. Construction began in June of 2023 and is expected to be done in time for the 2026 NFL season.
On the ice, the Devils and Sabres are currently two of the youngest teams in the NHL. By 2026, both teams' young cores should be in their primes and playing playoff hockey yearly. It wouldn't be a big surprise at all if at that point these two teams met once or twice in the postseason.
Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Dylan Cozens should all highlight a surging Sabres team, while Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier lead a now veteran and battle-tested Devils team into a hostile crowd in Buffalo. What better way for the NHL to capitalize on the opening of a brand-new billion-dollar stadium than by having the two new kings of the Eastern Conference play in it in its inaugural year?
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