NHL Winter Classic

[BoulderGrad]

A new New Years Day tradition in the NHL: The Winter Classic

2008:
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY
Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins



2009:
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Redwings


Johnathan Daniel/Getty Images

2010:
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Boston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers


Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

[BoulderGrad]

Any new/rumors/ideas for locations and teams for future winter classics?

Several I've seen mentioned:

Yankee Stadium (Rangers vs Islanders or vs Devils perhaps?)
Pittsburgh (Caps vs Pens at either Heinz Field or PNC Park)
Denver (Avalanche vs Redwings at Mile High or Coors field)
Dallas (Under the Megatron)

Any others?

[aus16]

if it was in dallas it wouldnt really be a winter classic though would it

[Billpa]

I doubt it'll happen but I'd like to see Pittsburgh vs Philly at Beaver Stadium in State College, PA. Both PA teams have already taken part and State College is obviously a non-NHL city so the league may not consider it. But it would be a great venue with a crowd of well over 100k.

I really enjoyed the Fenway Park game this year. It looked good and it was a great game as well with superb atmosphere.

[bigbossman]

how the hell dis people see the puck? I struggle to see it on television, but when you are separated from the rink at odd angles it must've been a strain.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

Any new/rumors/ideas for locations and teams for future winter classics?

Several I've seen mentioned:

Yankee Stadium (Rangers vs Islanders or vs Devils perhaps?)
Pittsburgh (Caps vs Pens at either Heinz Field or PNC Park)
Denver (Avalanche vs Redwings at Mile High or Coors field)
Dallas (Under the Megatron)

Any others?

RFK Stadium or Nationals Park here in DC has been thrown around. Personally I would like to see Ottawa in the game as a battle of the capital cities, but i doubt those teams would ever play.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by bigbossman

how the hell dis people see the puck? I struggle to see it on television, but when you are separated from the rink at odd angles it must've been a strain.

My buddy has had the pleasure of seeing two Winter Classics- the one in Buffalo and the last one in Boston. Though he didnt have great seats for viewing the action either time, he said that its a lot better than it may appear to be.

[Bobby3]

Minneapolis? Wild vs...Oilers?

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

Any new/rumors/ideas for locations and teams for future winter classics?

Several I've seen mentioned:

Yankee Stadium (Rangers vs Islanders or vs Devils perhaps?)
Pittsburgh (Caps vs Pens at either Heinz Field or PNC Park)
Denver (Avalanche vs Redwings at Mile High or Coors field)
Dallas (Under the Megatron)

Any others?

NFL stadiums are problamatic if an NFL makes the playoffs and has to host a WC game. I am not suer what the Bills would have done a few years ago if they had situtaiton.

Eventually a Canadian team has to get the game. Perhaps they will wait on Toronto a few years until they hopefully become good again. I think a Pitt-Philly game at Beaver Stadium would be cool.

Also if they have it at NY stadium I am guessing they will not pick two NY teams. They likely would want to get a whole other market involved. Remember the 2000 Yanks-Mets WS was a rating disaster given that outside of NY people really didn't care.

[Livno80101]

This was awful, like year before...rink is like 70 meters from stands, I doubt that fans could have seen anything... it should have been on some football stadium, and I wish it for next Classic... only good thing, for me, is Bruins win

this was much better


than this


the gap is just too big

[Sea Toby]

I think Montreal would go crazy with a winter classic. Yes, the gap is huge in a baseball park, but not so much in a football stadium...

I believe they sell out for the once in a lifetime event...

[Alx-D]

I'd like to see Vancouver at Minnesota in Gopher's stadium

[hollow man]

Looks fantastic tbh.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by bigbossman

how the hell dis people see the puck? I struggle to see it on television, but when you are separated from the rink at odd angles it must've been a strain.

If you know hockey, you can instinctively find the puck by watching players on the ice. Their movement indicates where the puck is, so it's visible even when it's not.

[BoulderGrad]

Washington vs Pittsburgh @Heinz Field - NHL Rivalry + 3 biggest stars of the league right now
Washington vs Ottawa @Nationals Park - Capital vs Capital
Minnesota vs... Whoever @Target field - Minnesota is really cold in the winter
Montreal vs Toronto @ Either Skydome or Stade Olympique - duh....
Rangers vs Toronto @Yankee Stadium - Biggest markets in the NHL facing off in the country's most expensive new stadium
Dallas vs Washington @Cowboys Stadium - like Cowboys and Redskins, only in Hockey
Colorado vs Calgary @Mile High or Coors Field - US Rockies vs Canadian Rockies. You could also use this for DU vs CC game like they did in Boston with BC and BU
Phoenix vs San Jose @U of Phoenix Stadium - Desert Showdown
Vancouver vs Calgary or Edmonton @BC Place - West Canada Showdown, and that way I could actually have a chance of going to see it!

[BoulderGrad]

Originally Posted by Livno80101

This was awful, like year before...rink is like 70 meters from stands, I doubt that fans could have seen anything... it should have been on some football stadium, and I wish it for next Classic... only good thing, for me, is Bruins win

this was much better


than this


the gap is just too big

Notice in the buffalo game all the dirt piled up underneath the edges of the rink. That's because Football fields are shaped like a flattened dome. They have to make sure to level things out before they build the rink. Hence the baseball stadiums for the last 2. The field is already flat.

[TooFar]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

NFL stadiums are problamatic if an NFL makes the playoffs and has to host a WC game. I am not suer what the Bills would have done a few years ago if they had situtaiton.

Eventually a Canadian team has to get the game. Perhaps they will wait on Toronto a few years until they hopefully become good again. I think a Pitt-Philly game at Beaver Stadium would be cool.

Also if they have it at NY stadium I am guessing they will not pick two NY teams. They likely would want to get a whole other market involved. Remember the 2000 Yanks-Mets WS was a rating disaster given that outside of NY people really didn't care.

Actually the first outside game was in Canada, it just was not on New Year Day.

[Marcanadian]

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

Washington vs Pittsburgh @Heinz Field - NHL Rivalry + 3 biggest stars of the league right now
Washington vs Ottawa @Nationals Park - Capital vs Capital
Minnesota vs... Whoever @Target field - Minnesota is really cold in the winter
Montreal vs Toronto @ Either Skydome or Stade Olympique - duh....Rangers vs Toronto @Yankee Stadium - Biggest markets in the NHL facing off in the country's most expensive new stadium
Dallas vs Washington @Cowboys Stadium - like Cowboys and Redskins, only in Hockey
Colorado vs Calgary @Mile High or Coors Field - US Rockies vs Canadian Rockies. You could also use this for DU vs CC game like they did in Boston with BC and BU
Phoenix vs San Jose @U of Phoenix Stadium - Desert Showdown
Vancouver vs Calgary or Edmonton @BC Place - West Canada Showdown, and that way I could actually have a chance of going to see it!

It would have to be at the Stade Olympique because the Rogers Centre cannot open the dome in the winter. Either that, or at BMO Field.

[BoulderGrad]

Originally Posted by Marcanadian

It would have to be at the Stade Olympique because the Rogers Centre cannot open the dome in the winter. Either that, or at BMO Field.

Maybe after BMO adds a new tier. Its current capacity is almost equal with ACC at the moment, isnt it?

[Marcanadian]

BMO's capacity is 20,500 while the ACC's maximum capacity is 19,800 for basketball. With BMO's expansion, it'll bring it up to about 21,800.