It's official: Carolina Hurricanes to play host in 2021 Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium

The Carolina Hurricanes will be hosting an outdoor Stadium Series game in 2021 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Adam Gold of 99.9 The Fan broke the news and NBC Sports made the announcement official during Saturday night's Stadium Series outdoor game in Colorado Springs between the Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Kings.

The game will be played Feb. 20, 2021, according to officials. The opponent will be determined at a later date, the NHL announced.

“We’re proud to be the first NHL market in the Southeast to host an outdoor game,” said Hurricanes CEO, Owner and Governor Tom Dundon. “We’re going to do everything we can to make as many seats available as possible, because we know how high demand will be for this game, and the epic tailgate that will accompany it.”

The Hurricanes announced that information regarding Stadium Series ticket pricing and availability will also be announced at a later date.

The buzz that the Hurricanes might get an outdoor game began early in 2018. NHL officials, including commissioner Gary Bettman, took a tour of Carter-Finley Stadium on Feb. 26, 2019. Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon gave a tour of the facilities to give an idea of what an outdoor game would look and feel like. That even included cones on the football field that formed a 200 x 85 NHL rink.

"I'm not here to make an announcement today," Bettman said at the time. "But yes, we are taking it very seriously."

NHL officials reportedly took another quick tour of Carter-Finley Stadium last November, another sign an outdoor game could be announced for Raleigh.

"We are thrilled to be bringing an outdoor game to Carolina, and in particular Raleigh," Bettman told NHL.com on Saturday at the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche at Falcon Stadium at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

"It's a testament to the great fan base that we've always known has been in the (Research) Triangle. It's great to see the community reengage in the way they have over the last season. "(Hurricanes) attendance this year is up over 25 percent, and there's no doubt that the fan base is passionate, connected, excited. And I think it's a testament to the way the team's playing, and to the efforts that (owner) Tom Dundon and the organization have put into hockey in the Triangle."

Carter-Finley Stadium and other college venues recently approved the sale of alcohol during games, another draw in the Hurricanes' favor. The Charlotte Observer reported it was one of the sticking points to getting an outdoor game in Raleigh. With that hurdle cleared, general manager Don Waddell said it made a proposed date "sooner rather than later, in the next couple of years for sure."

The NHL was looking for ways to increase the exposure of its game and, in 2003, came up with its first outdoor game between Montreal and Edmonton. On Jan. 1, 2008, the first Winter Classic was held between Pittsburgh and Buffalo. In 2014, a Stadium Series was added.

The Hurricanes are one of six NHL teams to have never participated in a Winter Classic or Stadium Series, joining the Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights.