Stadium Series at ‘Horseshoe’ evokes outdoor memories for Michigan alums on Red Wings, Blue Jackets

J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin sat in the stands when the Detroit Red Wings hosted the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium on Jan. 1, 2014.

Compher was 18, a freshman at the University of Michigan. Larkin was 17, headed to Michigan the following season. It was special to be at the Big House not for a Michigan football game but for a 3-2 shootout win for the Toronto Maple Leafs among an NHL-record crowd of 105,491.

Little did they know that one day they would play for Detroit in front of a huge crowd at the football home of Michigan’s archrival:

Ohio State.

The Red Wings will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets 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 at the Horseshoe, which means the attendance won’t approach the record but should rank second in NHL history.

“It’s cool to have the bragging rights,” Compher said. “But that’s quite a lot of people to play hockey in front of.”

There are a few Michigan-related storylines entering the Stadium Series, which will have fun with the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry and celebrate the Buckeyes football tradition.

Michigan played the first modern outdoor hockey game in a stadium, and it was at the football home of another rival: Michigan State. The Wolverines tied the Spartans 3-3 in the Cold War in front of 74,544 at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 6, 2001.

That started a trend of outdoor hockey in college and the pros. The NHL played its first modern outdoor game Nov. 22, 2003, when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the Heritage Classic before 57,167 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

“I always thought it was a great idea,” said Red Berenson, who played at Michigan from 1959-62 and coached there from 1984-2017. “I’m glad it’s evolved. I love these games.”

Michigan defeated Michigan State 5-0 before 104,173 in the Big Chill at the Big House at Michigan Stadium on Dec. 11, 2010.

Then the NHL brought the Winter Classic there in 2014.

Luke Glendening -- who played high school football in the state of Michigan and hockey for the University of Michigan -- took the opening face-off for Detroit. It was 13 degrees Fahrenheit and snowy.

Berenson sat outside instead of in a suite.

“I dressed for it,” said Berenson, who played in the NHL from 1962-78 and for the Red Wings from 1971-74. “Like, I’m from Saskatchewan. If I can’t handle it, then nobody can. I loved it.”

The home team wore red and the road team blue -- the opposite of a Michigan-Ohio State game at the Big House. The fans were split evenly.

“It was cold, but it was really cool,” Compher said. “You could see the divide at the 50-yard line of the red and the blue. It was super fun to go watch. It was a fun day.”

Larkin called it “awesome.”

“It was just a great day, beautiful, the Big House with the snow,” Larkin said “It was picturesque. I’ll remember that. It was a cold day, but just a great setting for hockey with that jersey matchup and the Winter Classic logo. It was great.”

Eight players currently on the Detroit and Columbus rosters played at Michigan, four on each team. The Red Wings have Compher, Larkin, Andrew Copp and Tyler Motte. The Blue Jackets have Adam Fantilli, Jack Johnson, Kent Johnson and Zach Werenski.

Copp and Jack Johnson grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the University of Michigan is located. Copp played high school football. Jack Johnson is the brother-in-law of A.J. Hawk, who was a star linebacker at Ohio State, and called Michigan-Ohio State the “best rivalry in sports.”

“It’s going to be a really special thing to play a game there in an iconic stadium,” Jack Johnson said. “Whether you’re an Ohio State fan or not, it’s pretty cool.”

Werenski experienced the Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 26, 2022, when the Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes 45-23 before 106,787.

“It’s a great venue,” said Werenski, laughing. “I hate saying that, but it is. I mean, you can’t deny it, right? It’s an awesome place to watch an event. I’m excited. That’s one of the historic venues in college football. It’s going to be awesome.

“As much as we love Michigan and the Big House and all that stuff, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The atmosphere is pretty incredible. I’m excited to see what it’s like for a hockey game.”

Michigan won the 2023 national football championship, and “The Team Up North” has won the past four editions of “The Game.” After the Wolverines’ 13-10 victory before 106,005 at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 30, there was an altercation at midfield, right where the rink will be Saturday.

But Ohio State went on to win the 2024 national football championship.

That should give the Stadium Series another little subplot. In the Blue Jackets’ first outdoor game, the home team will wear blue and the road team red -- the opposite of a Michigan-Ohio State game at the Horseshoe.

“It’s going to be a great event,” Larkin said. “I’ve never been to the Horseshoe, and especially with what happened this year with Michigan and the whole thing after the game … That was interesting. And credit to Ohio State winning the national championship. Their fans are excited. The last two national champions, it’s pretty cool. It’s a cool story.”