NHL Stadium Series: Yankee Stadium, Dodgers Stadium Undergo Transformations

The NHL Stadium Series begins this weekend.

The Los Angeles Kings play the Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium on January 25, 2014.

As should be expected, this outdoor game will be unlike any of the NHL's previous recent efforts. It's California after all, so there's little chance of winter. In fact the weathermen are calling for mostly sunny skies and 24 degrees Celsius.

There's that and also the beach volleyball court beside the hockey rink. Oh yeah, and KISS is going to rock the stadium, too.

Here's a look at what Dodger Stadium is looking like:

The NHL's "Iceman" Dan Craig gives us low down on how they are dealing with warm weather

“The other night we worked until 6:15 in the morning, last night was until just after four, and we’ll be here until just after four again this morning. We want to make sure that everything is done absolutely right. Once we get a good base, everything will do well.

He noted that during the week the NHL covers the rink with a giant Mylar blanket which reflects the heat and insulates the ice at 22 degrees.

While this is the first outdoor NHL regular season game in such climates, the NHL did experiment along these lines once before. In fact, the NHL’s first-ever foray outdoors was an exhibition game betwen the Kings and the New York Rangers in the parking lot of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Sept. 27, 1991. Played in 85-degree weather, more than 13,000 fans packed the stands (and battled an insect infestation) to see the Kings defeat the Rangers, 5-2.   

Speaking of the Rangers, they will play two outdoor games in the coming days, both at Yankee Stadium. They play the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, January 26th and then play the New York Islanders on January 29th. 

Here's a sneak peak at the transformation of Yankee Stadium

The Stadium Series will conclude after the Olympic break as the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks at Soldier Field on March 1st. 

On March 2nd the Canadian equivalent of the Stadium Series - the Heritage Classic - will see the Ottawa Senators travel to Vancouver to play the Canucks at BC Place - a retractable roof stadium. Here's hoping Vancouver's infamous rain stays away so they can open the lid on March 2nd.