If the San Jose Sharks were selected to host an outdoor NHL game, where would that game be played?
Considering the various sporting venues in the area, the most intriguing site might be 70,000-seat Levi’s Stadium, the new facility for the San Francisco 49ers that opens in August with an MLS match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders. Located in Santa Clara, the venue sits just outside San Jose.
Farther to the northwest, candidates would be Stanford Stadium and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.
After scheduling six outdoor games this season — the Winter Classic, the Heritage Classic, and the four-game Coors Light Stadium Series (two games in New York, one each in Chicago and Los Angeles) — the NHL is not expected to cut back significantly in 2014-15.
“I would expect at least four next season, with the Winter Classic and another three or four in the Coors Light Stadium Series,” said one league source, declining to speak specifically about the Sharks’ quest for one of the games.
— Christopher Botta
