Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
With an off day in the midst of the NHL Conference Finals -- and who in their right mind would have wanted to watch hockey on Memorial Day, never mind write about it -- this seems as good a time as any to look ahead to January 1 and the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.
It's been more or less an open secret for a number of months now that the next edition of what's become one of the most important dates on the NHL calendar will be held at Fenway Park in Boston. In his Sunday NHL notes column, Boston Globe columnist Kevin Paul Dupont let it drop that the fix is in for Fenway, and that the only question remaining is the identity of the visiting team -- Philadelphia or Washington.
So who will the NHL pick? In short, this game is all about television ratings, and with the contract between NBC and the NHL ending after the 2009-10 season, the NHL is going to want to make sure that this game gets the biggest number possible. Knowing this, I'd put my money on the Flyers lining up against the Bruins on New Year's Day 2010.
Like it or not, as much progress as the Capitals have made in terms of building their fan base -- and it's hard to overstate just how much progress they've made since the resolution of the lockout -- they simply don't have the same sort of hold on the Washington area that the Flyers have on Philadelphia. The only major negative working against the Flyers is the real possibility that Penn State will find itself playing in a New Year's Day game, something that could provide just the sort of distraction that would adversely impact a ratings number.
Of course, the biggest argument in favor of featuring the Capitals on New Year's Day has to be the presence of one of the game's biggest stars, winger Alex Ovechkin. At that point, Ovechkin may very well be working on his third straight league MVP trophy, and there's little doubt that the league would love to showcase him and his talents on the biggest stage the game has outside of the Stanley Cup Finals. Then again, with the new Yankee Stadium beckoning, there's always the possibility that the Rangers could host the Capitals on New Year's Day 2011.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
13 comments
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IMO it wouldn’t be right if they didn’t play an original 6 team
by a-roid on May 26, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions
Are you kidding me!! IT HAS TO BE THE HABS!! The only two NHL teams that have faced off against each other more is Wings/Hawks by a small margin. Not to metion HABS/Bs have the most meetings in the playoffs at 32, second is 23 times.
This would be the equivalent of playing a baseball game in the Garden and the Red Sox opponent would be the Indians and not the Yanks.
by chosenone007 on May 26, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions
I wouldn’t mind seeing Montreal or the Oakland Seals…aka Buffalo.
by ForgottenOne17 on May 26, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions
No brainer—- Les Canadians
by whucares on May 26, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions
I wonder if Ty Conklin will sign with the Bruins so he can continue his streak of appaearing in Winter Classic games.
by volchkov on May 26, 2009 4:38 PM EDT reply actions
sorry to correct myself. I meant the Dallas Stars.
by ForgottenOne17 on May 26, 2009 5:11 PM EDT reply actions
First off I will say I don’t like the idea of the winter classic being held every year. I would like to see it held every other year so it doesn’t lose its allure.
Secondly, how can it not be Bruins/Habs? Is the NHL so anti Canada they will deny everyone the greatest rivalry of all time just so they can have two American teams play each other?
I would rather see a Bruins/Rangers game if a Bruins/Habs match up is denied.
by zap_brannigan on May 26, 2009 8:19 PM EDT reply actions
Im sorry….but wasnt the FIRST game in CANADA!??! stop already w the anti canada nonsense. How bout the HABS suck and watching Boston dismantle them in 4 games this year in the 1st round…clearly dont see the alure to watch that again!
Either philly or wash is just right. Me Id rather see Flyers play the blue shirts in yankee stadium
by skadiesel on May 26, 2009 9:35 PM EDT reply actions
It should not be anyone but the Habs.To bad they cannot play the Whalers.
by mikebry on May 27, 2009 1:36 AM EDT reply actions
If the NHL wants the highest ratings possible, why do they choose to play on New Year’s Day when millions of people are already watching the college football bowl games?
I would like to see the Bruins play any of the original 6 six teams.
by plou19 on May 27, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions
I know this is gonna open a can of worms but if the NHL really wanted to go big they need some black guys. Im black so dont call Al Sharpton on me. Same for NASCAR which I also like.
by kinpawn07 on May 27, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions
so the NHL is screwing this up as only the NHL can
shrugs
they could at least bring in the Rangers to sate their boner over market size.
by msgg139 on May 27, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions
sure put two teams in the winter classic who choked BIG TIME in the playoffs, seems about right.
no one would watch the caps vs bruins sorry. good job at failing nbc…..
again
by ForgottenOne17 on May 29, 2009 3:58 PM EDT reply actions
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