NEW YORK — Denver is “very likely” to be awarded an outdoor NHL game at Coors Field next season, two NHL sources told The Denver Post.

The game , which the Avalanche would play in, is expected to be part of the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series. It would be the first outdoor game for Denver since the NHL started what has become a wildly successful concept.

Last season, there were four Coors Light NHL Stadium Series games, with two at Yankee Stadium and one at Dodger Stadium and Soldier Field in Chicago.

The game would not be the Winter Classic showcase game, which is held on New Year’s Day, and is the biggest of all the outdoor games as far as sponsorships, TV ratings and adjunct events such as an alumni game. The first Winter Classic was played on Jan. 1, 2008 in Buffalo, N.Y. The Winter Classic never has been farther west than Chicago, with most of the games having been in big, Eastern cities where colder winter weather is more predictable.

Still, the NHL has proven that outdoor games can be held in warmer western climes. The game between the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium was considered a big success on and off the ice. Attendance for that game was 54,099.

“We would love to have NHL games at Coors Field,” said Greg Feasel, Rockies executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Right now, all the parties involved are still talking about it.”

The opponent the Avs would face for their outdoor game has not been determined. The Avs have expressed their desire to host such a game, with team president Josh Kroenke saying previously, “We hope to get a positive answer on that in the very near future. That’s something that could be a distinct possibility for us, especially coinciding with the (team’s) 20-year anniversary.”

Adrian Dater: adater@denverpost.com or twitter.com/adater