Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Forget being fair, NHL’s outdoor games need star power, top teams

January 4, 2025 by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Sidney Crosby (87) and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins take the ice prior to playing the Boston Bruins in the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, 2023, at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.

The NHL’s annual Winter Classic drew 16% less TV viewers than last year’s. The audience of 920,000 was the event’s lowest ever.