2027 NHL Winter Classic Shirts: Date and Trademark Rules

The 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic puts the Utah Mammoth against the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, with puck drop at 4 p.m. Mountain, according to the NHL's event FAQ. The game carries the 2027 name because it is part of the 2026-27 season, but it is played on New Year's Eve. For print shops in Utah and Colorado, that means watch-party shirts, youth and adult league "outdoor game" shirts, and New Year's Eve orders all land in the same week. It also means the NHL's trademark rules apply to anything that looks official.

2027 Winter Classic at a glance

The NHL announced the matchup on Jan. 7, 2026, and the New Year's Eve date on April 25, 2026. With Utah's turn, every one of the league's 32 teams will have played an outdoor game, according to NHL.com. The previous Winter Classic was the Florida Panthers against the New York Rangers at loanDepot park in Miami on Jan. 2, 2026.

Smith Entertainment Group, which owns the Mammoth and the Utah Jazz, is building a "Winter Weekend" around the game. The Delta Center hosts a New Year's Eve festival on Dec. 31 headlined by Post Malone with Alesso, the Jazz play the Knicks on Dec. 30 and the Celtics on Jan. 1, and the Mammoth host the Canucks on Jan. 2. Published festival start times conflict, so check the official site before printing a schedule on a shirt.

Who orders shirts for an outdoor game

• Watch parties. Bars, offices, and families in the Salt Lake and Denver areas planning a New Year's Eve hockey party.
• Youth and adult leagues. Local rinks often run their own outdoor or "pond hockey" events around an NHL outdoor game. These teams own their names and logos, which makes them the cleanest orders.
• Travel groups. Fans driving from Denver to Salt Lake for the game, who want a matching group shirt.
• New Year's Eve crossover. Customers who want one shirt for the game and the party afterward. Our New Year's Eve 2027 shirt guide covers design ideas and metallic ink limits.

The trademark side

The NHL presents the event as the Discover NHL Winter Classic and marks the name with a registered trademark symbol on NHL.com. NHL team names and logos, including the Avalanche's, are licensed through the league's licensing arm, NHL Enterprises, L.P., which has filed counterfeiting suits in federal court in Chicago against online sellers listed on a "Schedule A," including cases in 2016 and 2022. The federal IPR Center has also warned fans about counterfeit NHL merchandise, most recently around the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

The Mammoth name is newer. The team played its first season as the Utah Hockey Club and became the Utah Mammoth on May 7, 2025. Its owners sued an Oregon hockey bag company, Mammoth Hockey, in federal court in Utah on Aug. 1, 2025 over the "Mammoth" name, according to KSL and CBS Sports. A team that is actively defending its name in court is not one to test with an unlicensed "Mammoth" shirt.

This is general information, not legal advice. The practical rule is the same as for every pro league: no team names, team logos, league logos, the event name, or player names and numbers on a shirt without a license.

Designs that generally stay clear

• Mountain, snow, and crossed-stick art the shop or customer drew, like the photo at the top of this page.
• "Outdoor Hockey," "Pond Hockey," "New Year's Eve Hockey Party," "Salt Lake City 12.31.26."
• The customer's own league or team name and logo, with that league's permission.
• Family and party names: "The Jensen Watch Party," "Section 12 Crew."
• Team colors alone. Colors are not usually a problem by themselves, but a color scheme combined with a mascot shape or lettering style that copies a team logo can be.

Designs to turn down

• "Utah Mammoth," "Mammoth," "Avalanche," "Avs," or either team's logos.
• "Winter Classic," the event logo, or the sponsor's name.
• Player names and numbers, which add a separate players' association license.
• Anything traced from an official jersey or the NHL shop.

Print notes for a cold outdoor game

Layers sell. A New Year's Eve game in Salt Lake City means hoodies, crewnecks, and long sleeves as much as tees. DTF handles fleece well; see our fleece and hoodie season guide for blanks and the DTF temperature and time chart for settings. Plan for the holidays. The game is on the last day of the year, after Christmas shipping delays. Our holiday shipping deadlines guide lists the carrier cutoffs. Sleeve and back prints. Leagues ordering for a team often want a number on the back and a small graphic on the sleeve. The placement guide lists sizes by garment.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 NHL Winter Classic?

The 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic is on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, at 4 p.m. Mountain Time. The Utah Mammoth host the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. It carries the 2027 name because it is part of the 2026-27 NHL season.

What channel is the 2027 Winter Classic on?

The University of Utah's stadium event page lists TNT in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada. The NHL's own announcement did not name a network, so check NHL.com closer to the game for streaming options.

Can I sell Utah Mammoth or Avalanche shirts without a license?

No. NHL team names and logos are licensed through NHL Enterprises, which has sued counterfeit sellers in federal court. The Mammoth's owners have also sued another company over the "Mammoth" name. A shop can print generic outdoor hockey designs and customers' own league names, but not team or league marks.

What hockey shirts can a print shop make for the Winter Classic?

Original outdoor hockey art, mountain and snow graphics, the date and city, and the customer's own team, league, or party name are generally fine. Avoid "Winter Classic," team nicknames, logos, and player names and numbers unless the customer has a license.

Related guides

The same trademark logic appears in our guides to Super Bowl LXI and Valentine's Day shirts, World Series fan shirts, and the College Football Playoff. Shops printing for rec leagues will also find the wholesale blank jerseys guide and the team spirit shirt ideas useful. Local transfer suppliers are listed on the Utah and Colorado supplier pages.