The Blues and Cardinals already share a strong bond, which was underscored when Blues owner Tom Stillman and Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III dropped a ceremonial puck together before a game at Scottrade Center Jan. 15. DeWitt, a close friend of Stillman's and a hockey enthusiast, has long been a proponent of hosting an outdoor game.

The city has patiently waited while 10 NHL teams have participated in the Winter Classic, including six who have made two appearances each. The concept of the league playing outdoors became so popular that it introduced the Stadium Series in 2014, leading to five more games in the last two years. In all, 15 of the 30 clubs have played in an outdoor game, and two more will be added when Minnesota and Colorado each host Stadium Series games later this month.

The Blues' first appearance is expected to come in a year when the NHL is using its premier events to showcase several of the expansion clubs celebrating anniversaries.

The LA Kings, one of those six clubs, were awarded the 2017 All-Star Game last week. The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, two others, are also expected to play in an outdoor game in 2017, ESPN.com recently reported.