Winter Classic

Dirtie_Frank

Now I am not a Sidney Crosby hater or a Penguins hater, but I do think it is a little ridiculous that the Pens are in the WC again. Here is my solution to this now.
A) The teams in the Stanley Cup Finals Play in the WC with the winner having home ice.
The All Star game is played outside.
Any thoughts?

neilybabes86

They are looking for big rivalries for this game so the cup winner idea really wouldn't fly

Last year at the flyers and bruins were an original 6 matchup which is considered an unwritten rivalry

Outdoors is cool but as evidenced today is way to unpredictable for hockey

I do hate the pens but this is only their 2nd trip ...it's gonna be that way w/ Crosby

All that being said the rangers are on so I will be missing a good chunk of the game

81

Original six matchup....eitheer you are confused, or your post is confusing

Dirtie_Frank

yeah the Detroit vs Chicago was and original 6 match up.

TT98

Its all about ratings, just cant wait for a Toronto vs Montreal one

Heisenberg

The Stanley Cup idea would never work. What are you going to do if LA plays Carolina or Phoenix plays Tampa Bay one year, play water polo?

SmartyJones

Flyers were not an original 6. The game has to be marketable, i.e. big markets/superstars, and a cold weather location. NHL really can't go wrong having the game in the Midwest (Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit), Northeast (Philly, Boston, NY), and/or Canada (anywhere).

neilybabes86

Brainfeeeze..meant wings hawks

eeriepadave

getting ready to watch the game now. Kinda rooting for The Caps since The Flyers need the help

Montreal vs Toronto would be sweet. or Rangers and someone maybe, (Flyers?)

lukin2006

Dirtie_Frank wrote:

Now I am not a Sidney Crosby hater or a Penguins hater, but I do think it is a little ridiculous that the Pens are in the WC again. Here is my solution to this now.
A) The teams in the Stanley Cup Finals Play in the WC with the winner having home ice.
The All Star game is played outside.
Any thoughts?

You do realize that Tampa Bay, Carolina and Anaheim have all won the cup, don't think the winter classic would go over well in those cities. This years winter classic is fine, 2 of the most exciting players in the game, makes sense. I think they will have to consider Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in the future.

81

up next, the summer classic, where two really bad baseball teams face off in a hockey stadium

norm

81 wrote:

up next, the summer classic, where two really bad baseball teams face off in a hockey stadium

see, now that's something i'd want to watch! :thumbup:

Gary Carter

eeriepadave wrote:

getting ready to watch the game now. Kinda rooting for The Caps since The Flyers need the help

Montreal vs Toronto would be sweet. or Rangers and someone maybe, (Flyers?)

rangers vs islanders at citi field in 2013

81

norm wrote:

81 wrote:

up next, the summer classic, where two really bad baseball teams face off in a hockey stadium

see, now that's something i'd want to watch! :thumbup:

it sounds good on paper until you realize the pirates will be playing the cubs.

Dirtie_Frank

Ok the SC finals would not be good. I still think that it is horseshit that the Pens played in it twice. I know he is a good player but it is a little too much him getting shoved down our throats.

voidofman

At least they are doing a Heritage Classic in Calgary this year against the Habs.


And I am a Crosby hater, the broadcasters / analysts seriously need to stop talking about him in every game. During intermission for a Canucks game they were talking about his damn mustache. Who cares!?!

lukin2006

I'd rather the sports world talk Crosby up, then talk up that no good Mike Vick, at least Crosby has some accomplishments and was not involved in any federal crimes. Sorry I hear more about Vick than I do Crosby, and no I'm not a Penguins fan, but I do appreciate how good Crosby is.

BLACK35

Turcotte98 wrote:

Its all about ratings, just cant wait for a Toronto vs Montreal one

Bingo. If they could do it some where in Canada that will hold 150000 people.....can we say SOLD OUT with a new record attendance set

Of course the Leafs would win

81

BLACK35 wrote:

Of course the Leafs would win

gearboy

I like the all star game idea, but I'd like to see them play in the cowboy's new stadium. under the huge screen- now that would be awesome!

blackredyellow

All about ratings...

People keep talking about it being in NY next year which makes a lot of sense, but who do they play (without having another repeat)? I've seen Rangers/Kings thrown around, and that would be good for TV, and two good teams to watch. The only thing is are you going to get many Kings fans there.

The games in the past have all had visiting teams that were in driving distance, so that balanced the crowd out a bit.

And I get people being tired of Crosby and the Pens playing another one of these, but based on the early ratings, this has been the highest rated one yet. And I love the night game instead of the day.

Indifference71

The NHL should definitely change this to a night game from now on. Pretty cool to see hockey played outdoors under the lights.

kasedoug

I agree with keeping it in prime-time. I was just reading a post about the overnight ratings and even with pushing the start time on short notice, the game still did really well on a day that's always been reserved for college football.
The game will always have an east coast bias due to weather and ability to stage the game. In three years, the game has become the center piece of the NHL schedule, a spectacle greater than the All-Star Game and on par ratings wise with the Finals.
As much as I wouldn't want to see another repeated team so soon, and as much as I detest Detroit, they may be a host in the near future. I think the Winter Classic will always be staged in the US, with 24 of 30 teams here, and as they'll also be hosting the Heritage Classic in Canada in February this year. Michigan/Michigan St. drew over 100K people to the Big House for a college hockey game so there's definitely a draw there. However, Detroit has already played their biggest rival in the Winter Classic in Chicago. Minnesota could also be a good destination with the popularity of hockey there but the NHL wants to feature their marquee players, teams, and rivalries on their biggest stage in the regular season. New York would be ideal but from what I understand, the venue would be in question. Yankee Stadium signed on long term with the Pinstripe Bowl which wouldn't give the NHL enough lead time to build the rink for a Jan 1 game. Citi Field doesn't have the nostalgia/aura of Yankee Stadium but maybe the new football stadium?

blackredyellow

A Minnesota game would be very well received there, but not so much on TV... The Wild just don't have the players for a good TV draw.

I've seen Denver tossed around too, and that makes some sense for a Western Conference game... Maybe Kings or Sharks...

Heck, if Stamkos keeps going like he is, and Yzerman keeps improving the franchise there, Tampa Bay could be an entertaining visiting team somewhere.

lukin2006

What was wrong with the game yesterday??? Seriously there is only so many places this game can be held and if your the NHL knowing you are going to attract even the casual fans you want to showcase your best talent, right now that's Washington, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, Philadeldelphia, Tampa and LA in the States. Tampa and LA and most likely Washington are out, Detroit? I think they want to host it, but don't see Comerica Park as a viable spot, Michigan Stadium? CBC during the intermission said Philadelphia could host next year. That would be a good choice with Tampa as the opponent, can showcase the second best player Steve Stamkos.

Eventually Pittsburgh should host again, and real soon, Crosby vs. Stamkos that'll be fun.

eeriepadave

Minnesota I think should get a shot at hosting it. Young team, decent hockey city, right?

jamminpearls

Heard Philly vs NYR at the Linc is the favorite at the moment. Also Montreal is being thrown around from what i read.

fife

lukin2006 wrote:

Dirtie_Frank wrote:

Now I am not a Sidney Crosby hater or a Penguins hater, but I do think it is a little ridiculous that the Pens are in the WC again. Here is my solution to this now.
A) The teams in the Stanley Cup Finals Play in the WC with the winner having home ice.
The All Star game is played outside.
Any thoughts?

You do realize that Tampa Bay, Carolina and Anaheim have all won the cup, don't think the winter classic would go over well in those cities. This years winter classic is fine, 2 of the most exciting players in the game, makes sense. I think they will have to consider Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto in the future.

I think the NHL wants just American teams playing in the winter classic. if Toronto were to play Montreal it would be called a heritage classic. and also, the game was just crap other than the pens losing and the flyers taking over 1st in the conference