Its first opponents are the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, who come to town Wednesday. Florida is anything but easy to play against. It has elite offensive talent, some of the consensus best two-way forwards in the world,

The Utah Hockey Club continues to struggle at home, losing its fourth straight game at the Delta Center Wednesday night to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, 4-1. Jesper Boqvist scored twice for Florida as Utah opened a season-long 7-game homestand with a loss.

Utah Hockey Club forward Kevin Stenlund met with his former Florida Panthers teammates and got a new prized possession: a Stanley Cup ring.

The southernmost matchup in NHL history and the first of two outdoor games that will be played in the Sunshine State next season, the Panthers will host the New York Rangers in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2. It will be the 17th NHL Winter Classic and the 44th NHL regular-season outdoor game.

The NHL announced Wednesday that the Florida Panthers will host the 2026 Winter Classic, facing the New York Rangers on Jan. 2 at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins. “Our time has come that we deserve an outdoor game,” Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell said. “We’re fired up to have it right here locally.”

The Florida Panthers have never appeared in an outdoor game. This is set to change in 2026 when they host the New York Rangers for the Winter Classic.