The NHL had discussed staging this year's game at the old Yankee Stadium, with the New York Rangers as the host team. When that plan fell through, the league decided on Wrigley Field, the 95-year-old home of baseball's Chicago Cubs.

The Wrigley game, shown on General Electric Co.'s NBC network, was the third regular-season game held outdoors. Last year's game on Jan. 1 during a snowstorm in Buffalo drew the best regular-season ratings since 1996.

The NHL likely will begin requiring cities interested in hosting the game to bid for it, a process used for the NFL's annual Super Bowl. The league likely will begins scheduling the games two years in advance as well to allow for better marketing by the league and host city, Collins said.

No official discussions have been held with interested cities, yet, Collins said.

"All of these places are fabulous and we should and will get to all of them," he said. "If I had my way, I'd play all the games outside."