The National Hockey League says it intends to proceed with the Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis on New Year's Day between the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild but is monitoring the forecast of severe cold. 

The current forecast in Minneapolis on Saturday call for a high of -21 C and a low of -28. 

"As with any outdoor game, weather is a factor. We clearly recognize that when we go to any venue. And as with any game, we're monitoring the weather, and we'll make decisions that are in the interest of our players and our fans, period," NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said Tuesday.

"We're getting expert opinions, but the weather is always changing too. It keeps moving. We're not going to make an educated guess. We're going to make a decision based on facts. As of right now, we are confident the game will go on as planned."

According to NHL.com, the coldest outdoor NHL game was the Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton in 2003 at approximately -18 C.

Saturday is scheduled to be the 33rd modern outdoor game in league history.