Stadium Series, Blue Jackets' 1st outdoor game 'really big moment' for Columbus

When R.J. Umberger played for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2008-14, the NHL was starting to hold outdoor games regularly. The venues included icons: Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Michigan Stadium, Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium and Soldier Field.

Having played hockey at Ohio State from 2000-03, naturally Umberger thought of Ohio Stadium, the historic home of Buckeyes football.

"We talked about it all the time: 'When is one going to come here?'" said the retired forward, who still lives in Columbus. "It seemed like a pipe dream a while back there, and to see it finally come true, it's a really big moment for this city."

The Blue Jackets will appear in their first outdoor game when they host the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, TVAS-D, FX-CA). More than 90,000 fans are expected, which would make the attendance the second largest in NHL history behind the 105,491 at the 2014 Winter Classic, a 3-2 shootout win for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Red Wings at Michigan Stadium.

"This event comes at a great time," Umberger said. "It showcases two significant things here -- the football town and how this has become a hockey town -- at the same time."

The Buckeyes just won the national championship in football, but they’ve also won two of the past three national titles in women’s hockey. The Ohio State football and women’s hockey teams will be honored in the second intermission Saturday.

The Ohio State women’s hockey team is ranked No. 2 in the country this season; the men’s hockey team is No. 8. The Blue Jackets are fighting for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ohio amateur hockey is thriving with 18,034 registered players last season, according to USA Hockey. That’s nearly 5,000 more than 20 years ago.

"I think people will realize in a hurry that it is a hockey town," said Ohio State men's hockey coach Steve Rohlik. "People love hockey. You go back to when the Blue Jackets [swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 Eastern Conference First Round], I mean, this town was on its ear. It's just a really exciting time here."

Each Ohio State hockey team played an outdoor game at Wrigley Field on the same ice used for the latest Winter Classic, a 6-2 win for the St. Louis Blues against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 31. The men defeated archrival Michigan -- sorry, "The Team Up North," as the Buckeyes call it -- 4-3 on Jan. 3. The women tied Wisconsin 3-3 and won a seven-round shootout Jan. 4.

Each Ohio State hockey team will host big games surrounding the Stadium Series too. The men will play The Team Up North at Value City Arena -- less than 1 1/2 miles from Ohio Stadium -- on Thursday and Friday in the final two games of their regular season. The women will play St. Thomas at OSU Ice Rink -- right across Woody Hayes Drive from Ohio Stadium -- in a best-of-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association First Round series Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).

"Busy," said Ohio State women's hockey coach Nadine Muzerall with a laugh. "You know, it's Ohio State. They know how to throw a good party and entertain everybody, so excited for the festivities. It's going to be a little chaotic."

Each game Friday is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, in between the practices at Ohio Stadium. The Blue Jackets will be on the ice at 4:30 p.m. ET, the Red Wings at 6:30 p.m.

The women's hockey locker room is inside St. John Arena next door to OSU Ice Rink. The NHL Stadium Series Pep Rally will be there from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, featuring O.A.R. -- a band of Ohio State alums -- plus The Ohio State University Athletic Band and Spirit Program. The women will play at 3 p.m. ET.

"You talk about outside noise and distractions all the time as a coach to the players," Muzerall said. "It's kind of cool. We'll have our own live band with O.A.R. … I guess that's one perk."

The Ohio State hockey teams and the Blue Jackets support each other. The campus is less than five miles from the Blue Jackets' usual home of Nationwide Arena.

"They've been so good to us, and they're down the road, so they've been here plenty of times," Rohlik said. "We've been down there. Our guys are able to go down and watch former players or favorite teams play a lot."

Muzerall helped coach the Blue Jackets at development camp in 2023. She worked with forward Adam Fantilli, the No. 3 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft from The Team Up North, who will play in the Stadium Series. She made sure to chirp him about his school.

"He was really good about it," she said with a laugh. "Actually, one thing I really liked about him was, he'd be out there picking up the pucks and staying out late. He wasn't too big for the draft pick that he was. I thought that showed some character."

Muzerall hired former Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski as associate head coach June 24 after he was a volunteer assistant. When her players wanted to honor the late Johnny Gaudreau at Wrigley Field, she reached out to Rick Nash, the leading scorer in Blue Jackets history who is now their director of hockey operations. He arranged for the Buckeyes to wear the same No. 13 Gaudreau jerseys for their entrance that the Blue Jackets wore for warmup at their home opener Oct. 15.

"I met him in the parking lot, and he's carrying the box to my trunk," she said. "He's a man that does a lot of heavy lifting, and I don't think a lot of ex-players do that."

Everyone is coming together now to boost hockey even further in Columbus. Muzerall has two children: a 10-year-old daughter, Isabella, and a 9-year-old son, Brady. Her son is especially obsessed with hockey.

"As a mom, I think it's fantastic that I get to bring my kids to this outdoor game and they get to see some of the best of the best play in such a unique environment," Muzerall said. "This event over the next four days is hopefully going to open up some eyes and opportunities."