Ah, the Winter Classic. The outdoors, middle of winter, the fresh air…hopefully some idyllic snowflakes (that goalies will invariably use to buttress their creases). In an attempt to evoke childhood memories and the roots of the game, the NHL has found some secret sauce with the now annual New Year’s Day outdoor game. On a day that is still ruled by College Football, the “lowly” NHL has managed to get itself on the radar with their ode to all things folksy about the game.
Personally, I’ve never been overly impressed with these games. The settings have been neat. The games for the most part, have not. Try as the NHL may with its well-produced marketing efforts, I’ve never been fully captivated with these games aside from the fact that it’s hockey on a day where I’m usually trying to cure a pounding headache.
Now I know that the NHL is a business and with their latest sacred cow wants to milk these things for all they are worth…but could something be as predictable, scripted and contrived as a Penguins vs Capitals matchup? I know you want to showcase your best when you have the spotlight, but come on. Sure, “Sid the Kid” and “Alex the Gr8″ qualify as the best that the NHL can offer, but when things as predictable as this come to pass, I just want someone to pass me the bucket. Can you imagine how much hype will surround this event? Unless you’re a Penguins fan, Capitals fan, employee of the network carrying the event, an NHL employee, or a hockey-loving vacuum (even this may be a stretch for those of you who love all things hockey), you may want to invest in a bilge pump to keep from drowning in the thick gravy we’re all about to be hosed with. Note to the NHL (and especially to NBC): there ARE other stars and other teams in your league.
Frankly, I’m surprised at my own reaction. I figured I’d enjoy something like this. Maybe I will, but right now my impression is that this feels manufactured and vacuous. A Crosby / Ovechkin matchup would sell at any point, in any year but I believe that the NHL dropped the ball by announcing this so quickly. I have a suggestion, albeit a moot one. Hear me out, but I think with the hockey we are about to be treated to, the NHL would have been wise to wait and see how the Cup Finals played out and thought of concocting a Toews / Richards rematch for their next Winter Classic. The 2 best players in the league *today* may not be Crosby and Ovechkin, but Richards and Toews. You can certainly make that argument.
With the plotlines that engulf this upcoming series (Hawks in 6, by the way), there could have been an air of authenticity and genuine nastiness to this affair. With Sidney and Alex, I get the sense that the only plotlines would be “can Crosby can channel his shinny hockey childhood once again to topple his nemesis?” or “can Ovechkin can gain a measure of redemption against the kid who has a Stanley Cup, Gold Medal and Maurice Richard trophy to his recent collection?” It just feels tired, uninspired and lazy to me. A weak attempt to add 8 minutes to the feature-length DVD that we’re sure to see one day about the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry. Apparently the legends are true. NBC, at least when it comes to hockey, really does stand for “Nobody But Crosby”. I do like Crosby. A lot in fact. But there has never been a moment in NHL history where so many GREAT young stars are filling out rosters everywhere.
I admit, it could be a great game, and I always hope that it is. But we’ve also seen that outdoor conditions can severely affect a player or team that relies on skill to succeed. Anything other than an offensive show would probably leave most fans feeling cheated. By January 2nd, I could end up eating my words, and I hope I do. It might be a great game in a great setting. But for now, with the calendar about to roll over to June, this leaves me completely indifferent. But like most of you, I will gladly watch, simply because we all love the game and we don’t want to miss a thing.
I haven’t even touched on the Canadiens – Flames matchup that will take place in February in Calgary at McMahon Stadium.
My reaction to this game is “Why?”
I’ve never been to Calgary, but I hear it’s pretty cold and unpleasant in February. I don’t know why this game needs to happen. Wouldn’t the Oilers or Leafs or Canucks or Senators (ok, not the Senators) be as good a matchup? Again, I’m not opposed to this, but I just don’t get it. Please sell me on this, unless you share my opinion. If the Canadiens are to play an outdoor game, it should be at Percival Molson Stadium, where the CFL’s Alouettes play. Now THAT would be a setting I could get excited about. Aside from the setting, what’s the draw to this game? The return of Cammalleri to Calgary? Where he spent one season? If it was a marketing angle in the least, it’s already been done…
How do you feel about these games? Is the NHL going to the well too often? Is the whole thing too formulaic? Please leave your thoughts below, and thanks for reading!
Kyle, no matter what match-up the NHL comes up with, there’s always going to be haters. if they did New York vs. LA, there would be people asking why there is a team from a city with no snow getting in a winter classic, and there would be people asking who Sather and MSG paid off to have the game there. Or they’d be asking why Washington, a top team in the league for a few years now with several superstars hasn’t gotten one yet. If a Canadian team drew in against an American team, they’d be asking why, since Canada doesn’t need it for their fanbases. If it was Minnesota vs. Colorado, it would be why are fringe playoff teams getting in, and what have they done to earn it.
There are always excuses. There are always pros, there are always cons.
Fact is there will always be at least one ”Winter Classic”. Its popularity has ensured that. Will we always agree on the teams? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean that Pittsburgh, Stanley Cup finalists two years running, and Washington, top team in the league this year in the regular season, haven’t earned it. And we both know as popular as hockey is in those two cities, it could still be better. So why NOT do a Washington vs. Pittsburgh game? It may seem drawn out to us, but is it not the biggest rivalry currently in the NHL? At least the most marketable?
I don’t think it’s fair that it isn’t.
Other teams will get their chances.
As for the Canadian one, again, I don’t see a problem with having one all-Canadian match-up after the American one. They’re billing it as the second ”Heritage Classic”, a throwback to the one that started it all in Edmonton in 2003. It’s going to be a good game, the teams actually do have history when it comes to their ”heritage” and people will obviously be interested.
The only point where I think the league dropped the ball is in not putting it during Hockey Day in Canada. What’s the difference if Montreal plays Calgary that day instead of Ottawa? I think it would actually be better if they mixed it up every year other than the same boring triple header we see every year.
I think the Montreal-Calgary game is just the NHL’s way of trying to placate Canadian fans, because the next few Winter Classics are going to be an Ovechkin-Crosby-fest (i.e. we’re not invited).
There’s no way around that, although there are so many other exciting players out there. I would love to have the Winter Classic be a northern team hosting a sunny southern team every year.
Bring up Drew Doughty and LA to Philadelphia. Have the San Jose Sharks come and hang out in Washington. Have the Rangers host Dallas or something. If you’re going to go gimmicky you might as well go all the way and have fans of southern team get in on the novelty. One way to grow the game is to make hockey teams in failing markets seem like a big deal.
Failing that, include Canadian teams in the real Winter Classic. Bring an old Norris team to BMO Field. I would definitely battle a hangover to watch Detroit or Chicago or St. Louis beat up on Luke Schenn and Phil Kessel and the Dion. In fact I might even drive to Toronto to see it.
@Prax
Aside from the matchups, I do find 2 of these games in 1 year is overkill. Soon it will be 5. Will that be ok? I don’t endorse the NHL’s decision to create events and then pump them up as a “Classic” or something other than what it really is: a simple regular season game with inflated ticket prices and a lot of pomp.
A GREAT idea would be to make the all-star game an outdoor game. The conditions, while the same for both teams, often impacts the quality of the game. Why not do it in a game that doesn’t matter? Oh, but then the Southern teams would never get an all-star game because it’s too hot there. Too bad. Many of the Southern teams don’t even care about their own team’s games, nevermind a game that has no relevance whatsoever.
For other matchups that could matter:
Colorado vs Minnesota (2 great hockey markets),
Phoenix vs anybody in Winnipeg (a bit of a tease, I know)
Los Angeles in New York (now there’s a novel idea – 2 large markets)
Islanders vs Colorado (Tavares vs Duchene)
As much as these things are about ticket sales, concession sales and fueling rivalries, they could also use the stage to try and prime some languishing markets too.
I don’t have all the answers, and despite the tone of my blog, I don’t think these matchups are abominations, but your last line says it all to me: “I understand that you don’t like it but it’s not like they’re coming out of left field with this, everything about both games is completely justifiable”. That’s just it: it’s justifiable. It’s not creative or visionary. It’s banal and sterile. They’re trying to artifically manufacture more tension and hate, and that can only happen when it’s about the pure hockey game. These events aren’t about the result. Rivalries develop in back alleys and at unexpected times. This is the equivalent of a cockfight.
As the headline says: We will all be watching. I’ll be there on New Year’s Day, hoping for something unbelievable to happen. And I’ll certainly be watching the Habs in February. I just want to see something out of the box that shows that there’s someone alive with a pulse at the NHL head office, and not somebody on autopilot. Picking the Pens and Caps is just too easy.
Isn’t the superbowl being played in New York in a few years?
Anyway, ironically, the game is a week AFTER Hockey Day in Canada, actually during Hockey Day in America. Either way, what history does Montreal have with any other Canadian team? Regular season games? If anything I find Flames-Habs more interesting than Habs-Leafs or Habs-Sens, which I have to watch 6 times a year anyway. I think a lot of Habs fans will agree with me here, but when the Canadiens face the Flames, it’s easily one of my most anticipated games of the season.
And it is about filling seats. Percival Molson would be interesting, but it’s never going to happen, and the Big O has a permanent roof, so forget an outdoor game in Montreal unless the Molsons decide to pull a U2 and build a stage somewhere.
As for the American game, I really don’t see what could have been better. Like I said, Chicago and Detroit had it 2 years ago, Philly and Boston had it last year, so they’re out. It wouldn’t be Buffalo. They’ve tried to do it in New York but have met barriers in trying. Jersey wouldn’t get one I don’t think. The pickings are pretty slim this year unless they go back to Pittsburgh, which DOES deserve it based on everything they’ve accomplished the last few years.
Love Crosby or hate him, he’s the league’s most marketable star. And he’s not going anywhere. And while the blogosphere may not like him he’s still one of the most popular hockey players out there. I understand that you don’t like it but it’s not like they’re coming out of left field with this, everything about both games is completely justifiable.
@Prax
I see your side of the argument. I just want the NHL to try something different and not go back to the Crosby/Ovechkin well ALL THE TIME. It’s just too easy for them, and also, many, MANY NHL fans are fed up with the Crosby force-feeding. Sure, he was a part of the WC a few years back, but the fact of the matter is that he is more often than not the centerpiece of any NHL on NBC broadcast. Most networks spend 90% of the broadcast kissing his ass, and a lot of people are fed up with it. I like him, but it’s enough already. I’m certain they could have found as intriguing a matchup if they tried a little harder.
With regards to the Habs/Flames, if it’s a part of Hockey Day in Canada, then that’s an interesting twist. But I’ll again reiterate that playing at Percival Molson would be a good venue for the Habs. Yes, people will show up to watch the Packers, but there’s a reason why the SuperBowl is not played at Lambeau.
Not that there’s anything wrong with McMahon stadium, but I think the “requirement” of playing in giant stadiums is at least partially disingenous. Is this about “the roots of the game” or about finding ways to stuff as many behinds in to seats as possible? The easy answer is both, but I don’t have to like it.
Sure the Habs and Flames have some history…86 and 89. What since then? Not a whole lot. In the interests of fairness, I wonder why another Canadian team was not selected. Ok, ok, insert a “because the Leafs suck” or “Sens are irrelevant” joke here, but my point still stands. Spread the wealth a little.
In fact, if this whole thing was tied to Hockey Day in Canada, why don’t they just go all the way with it?
Let the Sens and Habs play, either at Percival Molson, or in Ottawa at Lynx Stadium, or at Frank Clair Stadium if it’s still standing). Then let the Canucks play at BMO Field in Toronto vs the Leafs, and let the Battle of Alberta resume at Commonwealth or McMahon. Now THERE’S a tribute to the roots of the game and getting huge admission prices. All 6 Canadian teams – outside on Hockey Day in Canada. Logistical nightmare? Maybe, but at least I’d be impressed with the vision and scope of the ordeal.
Sorry Kyle but I’m going to have to disagree with for once… for starters, I don’t see a problem with either match-up.
As contrived and scripted as it may seemed, Washington vs. Pittsburgh IS a rivalry, and they will provide a good hockey game. Washington definitely deserves to be in an outdoor game as they haven’t been in one yet, and if you’re against Pittsburgh having a second outdoor game, and if you want to use the ”best teams” argument, well Pittsburgh has made the finals two years out of the last 3. I understand you may simply be disinterested with the entire concept of an outdoor game (I don’t see why, it’s a neat idea, it’s not overused and it’s a fun celebration of hockey), but I don’t think there are really two other teams that would be more interesting to the current state of the league.
Philly was in last year’s outdoor game.
Chicago was in the one 2 years ago.
As for Montreal’s game, you say ”Why?” I say ”Why Not?” Montreal has more history with Calgary than they do Edmonton, Vancouver and even Ottawa. Calgary has the best venue, as Percival Molson wouldn’t fit more than 20,000 people. And I kind of have a feeling this will have something to do with Hockey Day in Canada. As for how cold it is in Calgary, what’s the difference? People are more than willing to go to Green Bay for a football game in January, and they were more than willing to do the same when Edmonton hosted Montreal for the first ever outdoor game a few years back.
No offense Kyle, you know I respect your opinion more than just about anyone around the net, but I just don’t see any problems here. No matter which team gets an outdoor game, there are always going to be people complaining.
And @Angelica, please point me to one thing about the entire concept of having an outdoor NHL game in ANY city, ANY venue with ANY teams that isn’t gimmicky. Please.
Great read. I agree completely. I honestly think the second game is just a lazy attempt to hush up all the fans of the other teams in the league who are pissed about the Pens-Caps matchup. Nice try. Not working.
Personally, I’m just sick of Sid v. Ovie, Caps v. Pens in general; the fact that they’re getting a Winter Classic now is even worse, not only because the Pens have ALREADY HAD one this decade, but because you’re right, there are other, great teams/players to showcase. I personally view the WC as a special treat for fans, and the fact that they’re relying on this completely tired storyline definitely takes the shine off of it. Gimmickry wins again.