The National Hockey League (NHL) first held a regular season outdoor ice hockey game in 2003, and since 2008 the league has scheduled at least one per year. The NHL primarily uses three brands for outdoor games: the Heritage Classic, Winter Classic, and Stadium Series. The 2003 Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens was the first outdoor regular season game in NHL history. The Heritage Classic has since been held infrequently, featuring match-ups solely between Canadian teams, until the Buffalo Sabres make their appearance in the 2022 Heritage Classic. The annual Winter Classic, held on New Year's Day in the United States, began with the 2008 game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres. The NHL then started the Stadium Series in 2014 for additio