The league announced the game on February 17, 2024, during the first game of the previous season's Stadium Series. The league will return to only staging one Stadium Series per season instead of two. NHL executives had contemplated holding an outdoor game at Ohio Stadium since visiting the venue in November 2022. This would be the Columbus Blue Jackets' first outdoor game, while it would be the Detroit Red Wings' fourth. The choice of the opponents reflects the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry.[1][2] This will leave the Florida Panthers, the expansion Utah NHL team, and the inactive Arizona Coyotes as the only teams to have not played an outdoor game.[3]
