Winners and Losers from the 2025 NHL Winter Classic
Winners and Losers from the 2025 NHL Winter Classic 0 of 5
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field hosted the 2025 Winter Classic as the rival Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues faced off for the NHL’s annual outdoor spectacular.
A sea of 40,933 fans filled the Wrigley stands, with the fans of the visitors being the ones who went home happy after the game as the Blues prevailed in Chicago, 6-2.
And we get it: we know that St. Louis won and Chicago lost. But who were the true standouts from the game?
Here are the Winners and Losers from the 2025 NHL Winter Classic.
Disagree with our takes? Share your opinions in the comments section of the B/R app!
Winner: Early Trade Returns1 of 5
Cam Fowler.Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images
Cam Fowler began the month in beautiful, sunny Southern California with the Ducks and probably didn’t think he’d be playing his 1,000th NHL game at Wrigley Field.
The veteran defenseman has been a stabilizing presence for St. Louis on the blue line and has posted his best metrics in quite some time. The sample size is small—just eight games coming into Tuesday—but Fowler’s xGF percentage is 54.82, an over 14 percent increase from his time with the Ducks, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Of course, it helps to play with some talented playmakers like Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas, who set up Fowler’s opening goal of the game. Fowler was left wide open in the slot and buried the puck past Chicago goaltender Petr Mrázek at 1:40 of the first period.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIceCAM FOWLER. IN HIS 1,000TH GAME. OUTDOORS. WHAT A MOMENT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/v7FAcFfqg9
He added his second goal of the game with a shot that had eyes and found the back of the net at 17:51 of the second period.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIceFOWLER AGAIN. HAVE A DAY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jIvtWH95Lu
Losers: Fans Rooting Against Chicago to Get the First Pick at the 2025 NHL Draft2 of 5
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson.Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Another loss means the probability of Chicago winning the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery increases ever so slightly.
The Blackhawks came into the game with the best chance to win the No. 1 pick, being dead last in the NHL in points and points percentage.
It’s already been a tumulous season with general manager Kyle Davidson relieving Luke Richardson of his head coaching duties back on Dec. 5. While there weren’t any major expectations for the six-time Stanley Cup winners to contend immediately, the results this season have been majorly disappointing. Tuesday’s loss to St. Louis showed why.
Surrendering two early goals shorthanded put the hosts on the back foot for most of the evening. The Blues built on their advantage throughout the night and cruised to an easy victory.
“You can’t be behind the eight ball,” Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno said to the media after the game. “… Each team was looking for momentum, we give it to [the Blues] right away. We’re not a team that’s built to come back being down two. We got to look at ourselves and say we got to do more.”
Winners: Fans Who Enjoy Hockey Fights Outdoors3 of 5
Nick Foligno and Brayden Schenn.Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Nothing like a tilt between captains to get a sold-out crowd back into a game that’s 5-1.
Right after the Blues added their fifth goal late in the second period, Foligno tried to provide a spark by dropping the gloves with the Blues’ Brayden Schenn.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIceWE GOT A TILT IN THE WINTER CLASSIC
BOTH CAPTAINS GOING AT IT 😳😱 pic.twitter.com/tXXJvUcCZR
In terms of entertainment, it provided the home fans something to cheer about with their team getting blown out.
Loser: Chicago’s Outdoor Game Futility Continuing4 of 5
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Chicago has an illustrious history as one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises, but it has a terrible record in outdoor games.
The Hawks dropped to a 1-6-0 mark in NHL outdoor games with their only win coming in a Stadium Series tilt against the Penguins in 2014. They also remained winless in Winter Classics, dropping to 0-5-0.
One-off games can be unpredictable, especially in outdoor elements, but it’s puzzling to think that a franchise that had the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith in their primes could perform so poorly in showcase games like the Winter Classic.
Loser: Connor Bedard Not Getting a Signature NHL Moment5 of 5
Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images
It’s safe to say Connor Bedard’s first outdoor game experience in the NHL didn’t go to plan.
The 19-year-old generational talent recorded his 33rd point of the season with an assist on Tyler Bertuzzi’s third-period goal, but it came too late—the result was no longer in doubt.
The expectations are sky-high for Bedard, and his sophomore season has been far from easy.
“We’re not happy with where we are,” he said to the media after the game. “… We can definitely be a more consistent group.”
Chalk up the heavy defeat to St. Louis as a hard-to-take learning experience, and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for him to set the record straight in future NHL outdoor games.
