Ranking the Top 5 Most Memorable NHL Outdoor Games

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers - Heritage Classic, Commonwealth Stadium 

Credit where credit is due, the NHL unleashed its barrage of outdoor games thanks to the wildly successful first iteration between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens in 2003. 

The league learned some hard lessons in this one, shaping the direction of future outdoor games. Players had to layer up for the frigid temperatures, as game time mercury readings dipped to -30 Celsius or -22 Fahrenheit. That cute look of Jose Theodore wearing a hat on his helmet wasn't a fashion statement but a necessity. 

When the NHL tested its outdoor game strategy in 2003, there wasn't any commitment to doing it again. This contest gave birth to a litany of outdoor series that continue to play out yearly. Without it, we would still be watching hockey indoors like a bunch of chumps.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres - Winter Classic, Ralph Wilson Stadium 

The first of the Winter Classics, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres battle was an instant hit. 

With the falling snow, the powder blue Penguins jerseys for the first time since 1973, a goal 21 seconds in, and sorting things out in a shootout, this Eastern Conference clash had all the makings of an all-time classic. Moreover, this contest featured a bevy of future Hall of Famers, including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Ryan Miller.

This was the first game in NHL history to crack the 70,000-spectator barrier, setting the attendance record at the time. Somehow, it still feels like more people should have been present to take this one in.

3. Boston Bruins vs. Chicago Blackhawks - Winter Classic, Notre Dame Stadium

This was the NHL's first neutral-location outdoor game, and it couldn't have picked two better teams to compete in Indiana. This game caught the Boston Bruins at the peak of their dynasty and captured the tail end of the Hawks' glory days.

The result was a hard-fought 4-2 Bruins victory, but the Blackhawks gave Boston everything they could handle as +144 underdogs, even though Chicago's back-and-white jerseys left much to be desired.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings - Winter Classic, The Big House

There is not a game that will come close to matching the intensity of the Toronto Maple Leafs versus Detroit Red Wings at the Big House in 2014. A record-setting 105,491 people crammed into Michigan Stadium to soak in this Original Six matchup. 

The magic of the on-ice spectacle was not lost on viewers, but both teams deserve a ton of credit for putting together pristine uniforms. The Leafs and Red Wings leaned into the classic look, incorporating age-old characteristics into both designs. 

There's always something special when two Original Six foes step onto the ice against each other, but there is no replicating the feelings that came with watching this gem play out in front of us. 

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers - Heritage Classic, Commonwealth Stadium 

Credit where credit is due, the NHL unleashed its barrage of outdoor games thanks to the wildly successful first iteration between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens in 2003. 

The league learned some hard lessons in this one, shaping the direction of future outdoor games. Players had to layer up for the frigid temperatures, as game time mercury readings dipped to -30 Celsius or -22 Fahrenheit. That cute look of Jose Theodore wearing a hat on his helmet wasn't a fashion statement but a necessity. 

When the NHL tested its outdoor game strategy in 2003, there wasn't any commitment to doing it again. This contest gave birth to a litany of outdoor series that continue to play out yearly. Without it, we would still be watching hockey indoors like a bunch of chumps.