Outdoor hockey has provided much-anticipated action for the NHL since the Winter Classic began in 2008.
The excitement and enjoyment have taken on other names for the NHL, in addition to the official Winter Classic games.
To say the latest installment of the NHL Stadium Series (Feb. 17-18) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. was a success is an understatement. For two straight nights, more than 70,000 were in attendance as the host New Jersey Devils upended the Philadelphia Flyers, 6-3, on Saturday night and then the New York Rangers mounted a thrilling comeback against their rival, the New York Islanders, in regulation before securing a dramatic 6-5 triumph in the first 10 seconds of overtime in Sunday’s finale.
The NHL recently announced that the 2025 Winter Classic will be held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, featuring the Chicago Blackhawks vs. the St. Louis Blues. It is an event that certainly will delight Blackhawks fans and light the lamp, so to speak, in Illinois sports betting.
With that in mind, IllinoisBet.com – your source for Illinois sportsbook promos - examined the past performances of both the home and away teams to see how the Blackhawks and Blues might do the following season. The average record for a host the following year is 40-25-9. For the away team, the average record the following year is 37-28-8. Here is the breakdown:
NHL Winter Classic History
The numbers in parentheses next to teams in the chart denote the score of the game. There were not designated Winter Classis games in 2013 and 2021.
Blackhawks’ History in Winter Classic
This will be the second time Wrigley Field will host the Winter Classic at Wrigley, with Detroit taking a 6-4 victory back in 2009.
The Winter Classic doesn’t evoke fond memories for Chicago fans. It will be the fifth time the Blackhawks have participated in the event. They have lost the previous four, including a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. in 2019.
On the other hand, Detroit has recorded a 1-1 record in the Winter Classic. The most recent was a 3-2 loss at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor (2014).
Glance at Both Teams
The view is dismal on Illinois betting apps for the Blackhawks. Chicago (15-38-3, 33 points) is last in the Western Conference's Central Division. Detroit (29-20-6, 64 points) is fifth in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division.
Here is a look at ESPN Bet Illinois future for both teams:
Chicago
- To win the Stanley Cup: +100000
- To win the Western Conference: +50000
Detroit
- To make the Playoffs: Yes -150, No +120
- Atlantic Division winner: +15000
- Eastern Conference winner: +3000
- Stanley Cup winner: +6000
