Posted in: Max, TNT, TV | Tagged: nhl, Winter Classic

Here's Your 2026 NHL Winter Classic: Panthers/Rangers Viewing Guide

Hitting TNT, truTV, and HBO Max tonight, here's a guide to everything you need to know to check out the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic.

Tonight, the NHL presents the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic from a very unique location, hauling the traditional snow and ice aspects of the outdoor event down to South Florida. Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers will be taking the ice amid palm trees and ocean breezes to battle Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and the New York Rangers. That means it's time for Bleeding Cool to offer a rundown of what you need to know to join in on the festivities. Here's a look at when and where to watch tonight, who will be working commentary, what you need to know about the pregame & postgame shows, and much more.

When & Where Can I Watch the "2026 NHL Winter Classic"? The pregame, "Winter Classic," and postgame will air on TNT and truTV, and stream on HBO Max (in Canada, it's set for Sportsnet and TVA Sports). Here's a look at the start times:

• NHL on TNT Face Off (Pregame Show): 7 p.m. ET
• 2026 NHL Winter Classic: 8 p.m. ET
• NHL on TNT Postgame: Following the "Winter Classic"

NHL in ASL, an alternate telecast dedicated completely to the Deaf community using American Sign Language (ASL), will also be available for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic, exclusively on HBO Max in the U.S. The broadcast, produced in partnership with P-X-P, will feature original intermission interviews and commentary from Jason Altmann and Noah Blankenship.

What's the Commentary Team for the "2026 NHL Winter Classic"? Kenny Albert, providing play-by-play for his fifth NHL Winter Classic and eighth outdoor NHL game; Eddie Olczyk, calling his 15th NHL Winter Classic and 27th overall NHL outdoor game; Brian Boucher, providing ice-level analysis for his third NHL Winter Classic and his seventh appearance in an NHL outdoor game. In addition, Darren Pang and Jackie Redmond will also be reporting from loanDepot Park throughout the broadcast.

Is There a Pregame Show Tonight? TNT Sports' coverage will start with an hour-long NHL on TNT Face Off presented by Verizon pregame at 7 p.m. live from Miami, featuring analysts Wayne Gretzky, Henrik Lundqvist, Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter, and host Liam McHugh. The show will emanate from the 2026 Enterprise NHL PreGame event, a hockey-focused fan experience near loanDepot Park, which will also include a headlining musical performance by rising alt-pop star Role Model on NHL on TNT's Verizon Stage.

Is There a Postgame Show Tonight? NHL on TNT Postgame, presented by Vanda Pharmaceuticals, will feature highlights and analysis, as well as interviews with key players from the winning team, and the presentation of the NHL on TNT Cocoa Cup to the Most Valuable Player of the game, selected by the TNT crew.

Who Should We Be Keeping in Mind During the Game? The game will showcase a number of the top players in the NHL. The Panthers (12-11-1) are led by forwards Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Anton Lundell, defensemen Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling, and two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The Rangers (13-12-2) counter with captain J.T. Miller, forwards Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, defensemen Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, and goaltender Igor Shesterkin, the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner.

Got Any Cool Facts That You Could Share? How about these?

• The 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic continues the tradition the National Hockey League (NHL) established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the onset of the new year, with the 2026 edition marking the 18-year anniversary of the first NHL Winter Classic.
• The game will be the 17th NHL Winter Classic, the 44th NHL regular-season outdoor game, and the first of two NHL regular-season outdoor games scheduled for the 2025-26 season.
• The 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic will be the first regular-season outdoor game for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who will become the 31st team to participate in outdoor regular-season action. It will be the sixth outdoor appearance for the Rangers, who hold an NHL-best 5-0-0 record in outdoor games.

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