Report: NHL 'strongly considering' Blues as hosts of 2017 Winter Classic

The St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks are reportedly on the verge of taking their Central Division rivalry outdoors.

The NHL is finalizing talks that would bring an outdoor game to Busch Stadium in 2017, multiple sources told Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The league is "strongly considering" St. Louis as the host city for the 2017 Winter Classic, and the Blues' opponent could be the Blackhawks, according to the report.

The St. Louis Cardinals are expecting to host a hockey game at Busch Stadium on Jan. 2, sources told Rutherford. Both the league and the Blues declined to comment.

The Blues will celebrate their 50th anniversary next season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly finalizing a pair of outdoor games, one of which could take place at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field in 2017.

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