Overexposing the Outdoor Game

The brain-trust over at The Fourth Period, Dave Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein, have said that they may have found out of some plans to have not one, not two, but THREE outdoor games in the NHL starting as soon as next season. Pagnotta and Bernstein say there could be a series of outdoor games to co-op the losses of revenue from the lockout and the players going over to Sochi, thus eliminating the All-Star Game.

Next year's Winter Classic will be the rematch of the game that never happened-- Maple Leafs and Red Wings from the Big House at the University of Michigan. The other places that have been discussed, as Pagnotta and Bernstein have put out there, are Los Angeles (Dodger Stadium) and New York (Yankee Stadium).

Of course, this is all brainstorming at this point, as nothing has been made available to the general viewing public, but it would make up for lost revenue and bring more attention to the NHL as a whole should this ordeal come to fruition. The multiple games would give more shots to teams that may not be able to have outdoor games, as well as bring in more of an audience for the spectacle.

Though, the biggest question right now is does this oversaturate the specialness of the Winter Classic and the special date on the calendar it has for many hockey fans. Granted, there are a lot of people who love the outdoor game and would enjoy having multiple occurrences, but will that last for long?? I've always been of the proponent that you'll soon run out of markets that could handle an outdoor games, thus making it more limited-- but the league starts to have three games and kill three markets at a time-- how much longer could it last??

It's not as if we haven't seen problems, either. It was too cold in Calgary for the Heritage Classic, there has been weather delays, postponing the start of the games, and overall-- while a successful gimmick in the end-- may overwork those people who have to put the ice together and break it down to take it to the next placement. Dan Craig can only do so much in the allowed time he would need for each venue and a limited window in each market to have the perfect ice so that it's playable and not a danger to the players involved.

Would people clamor to go to the games?? Of course, it's an amazing event and something that many would want to see. The multiple locations would give more fans a chance to see it on a regular basis without having to break the bank on travel. The idea would make up for lost revenue and maybe create new revenue streams to help the league make up for lost money during the lockout.

That said, how many times a year can the NHL go to the well and expect a waterfall of money poured onto them. While in theory it's a great, if you start to take away the unique nature that the Winter Classic (and to a lesser extent, Heritage Classic) has brought to the NHL lexicon, it's starts to possibly devalue the whole thing, leading people to not care as much for missing the outdoor games because they would know that there's another one coming up later in the season.

Leave the Winter Classic as it is and let's not try to give everyone an outdoor game a year because there will be a time where the gimmick has run its course and it's back to the drawing board to think of something better to make money.

Another Winter Classic Post

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Another year has come, another Winter Classic has come and gone, and the debate of whether this is a gimmick that has run its course. To be honest, I have to say that I'm starting to think that the whole idea of the Winter Classic and most outdoor games being put on the shelf for a bit to freshen it up a bit. There's a couple reasons why, which I will point out-- in no particular order.

First, the limited amount of locales still available is one factor. The past two Winter Classics have been a bit sloppy in terms of the weather, which we can attribute to Al Gore. That said, the fact that we're going to Pennsylvania, which is usually nice and chilly at this time of year, and it's still sloppy-- it may limit the places for this event even more. What do you think DC could be like or anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Second, with the limited locales, you have the limited amount of teams that are available. This is the second time we've seen the Philadelphia Flyers, we've seen the Pittsburgh Penguins twice, and we'll probably see the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Washington Capitals twice when it comes to the Winter Classic. While the idea of the Winter Classic is all well and good to opening up the public to the NHL and its players, but at the same time-- it's enraging to most fans who actually are hardcore into the game.

Part of that, however, is due to the NHL and their agreement with the National Broadcasting Company and it's bevy of networks that come with it. NBC wants the ratings, NHL wants the ratings and exposure-- thus, you get the teams in the bigger markets and with the bigger named players on the roster. Which is a damn shame, because you have so many teams with so many young and talented players on it that the world will not see because NBC doesn't seem to want to give those teams the exposure. Which is a disservice to the league and the fans-- hardcore and casual-- but it will definite increase people shelling out cash for the Center Ice package if they want to see teams outside of their area, which is good and bad.

When it comes to the Heritage Classic, that's already a limited thing between the seven Canadian teams, in which people will come out for regardless of the situation or the area because of how much the people love the game. That said, that game seems to be every two or three years so they don't hit all the areas at once.

As far as the US areas are concerned, you will likely not have many more areas to deal with. In all honesty, you have Detroit, New York, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, and maybe Washington, DC left before you start to worry about this thing going into repeats. Sure, the ability to make and keep ice is there and you could really move it all over the place, however-- the sustainability has been tough in the past couple of season-- which makes me worry that they won't go south of DC.

The bottom line is that while this is a great thing to have around to get the causal fan into the game and to give exposure to the sport-- the fact you need a certain condition for it to be a great game and actually be true to life like every other game....we're looking at the last legs of the Winter Classic.

Why One Outdoor Game Isn't That Bad

According to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, there won't be a Heritage Classic for the 2011-12 season. Of course, the Heritage is the Canadian version of the Winter Classic; but in the grand scheme-- it's not the worst idea out there.

Last year, there was numerous amounts of outdoor games, which some take in stride-- but to someone like me, it seemed like a bit of overkill. I enjoy the gimmick of the outdoor hockey game and having been to one-- it's like nothing I've ever experienced. But at the same time, you have a limited amount of places to hold it; and the places you do hold it at sometimes don't have the best conditions-- even in winter.

Then you move to the Heritage Classic, which usually has two Canadian teams in it. There's only seven teams in Canada. Your pool is increasingly more shallow, and while you'll have the turnout all the time....seeing the same place over and over again for an outdoor game could lose it's luster. It's the same reason people hate seeing the same teams in the event every year, despite them making the ratings on TV jump.

It's not an entirely bad thing because you won't saturate the ideal of the game, while also increasing the hype and the push for the Heritage Classic to come back to the Canadian market. It was eight years from one Heritage Classic to another, so they can sustain the love for the outdoor game regardless of the time frame. It's instilled in the nature and really puts more of the spotlight on the Winter Classic, as it would be the only chance for the NHL to take it outdoors.

The Heritage Weekend That Was

The pomp, the circumstance, the hand-warmers. The weekend that was in Calgary couldn't have been better done, even though the organizers couldn't control the weather-- one day, but not yet. From the Saturday practices and alumni game, to the big show of the Heritage Classic, followed by the WHL Outdoors game-- the festivities were something that many Calgarians and Canadians will remember for some time, especially if they can't get to another one.

The stadium was full of rabid fans, packed shoulder to shoulder and full of spirit(s). It showed that it was a game that was very much in demand and something that was needed for the city of Calgary. Granted, the revenue from sponsorships surpassed the Winter Classic's in the past shows that Canadian companies love hockey and will put their money to not only get their name out there, but to support something they strongly believe in. Of course, the outcome made it even better for more than half the crowd dressed in scarlet-red and yellow-- looking like a Fixin' Bar at a Roy Rogers from 1986.

When it came to the WHL game, it was so underground-- it didn't even have a proper name; it was just called WHL Outdoors. Even so, 20,888 showed up, which surprised me only because of the fact that it was a cheaper alternative and turned out to be a better day on a Holiday Monday. It also turned out to be a good game, with Regina scoring the game-winner with 36.2 seconds left in the third period and while they did set a CHL and Junior Hockey record single-game attendance-- it could have been so much more. Regardless, it was a success in terms of getting people out to see the two worst teams in the WHL in a thrilling game.

There has been little criticism when it comes to the Heritage Classic-- mainly with the scheduling of the game; and to that I agree. When this first outdoor game happened in 2003, it was in November and just as teams started to get their legs underneath them. The fact this game is with about a quarter of a season left and teams in dogfights-- it's something you really don't want to risk; having an outdoor game screw up things because one thing or another go wrong because of conditions. If you're playing this late and already playing catch-up, it's just puts you deeper in the hole if you can't win.

In any case, it was about the fans. The gauge I got from some of my friends that were there was this was an amazing event and well done by the league and Flames organization. The temperature didn't affect too many people, mostly due to the availability of booze and chicken soup-- or both into one. Fans enjoy the company of the rival, with little to no complaints being put out there to my knowledge. The weekend earlier was Hockey Day in Canada, but Sunday was a best encore you could have hoped for over-- then the hangover Monday sealed a great weekend of hockey in Calgary.

Would it be wise for the NHL to do two or more outdoor games a year?? If they want to go for the gimmick while it's hot-- then yes. However, with not many Canadian teams and few American locales you can have it at; it creates a difficult conundrum. You'd love to have this kind of exposure, but if you over do it-- the vibe of having that one game a year kind of gets a bit diminished. You have the Winter Classic and if there should be a Heritage game to be had, then go for it-- but you don't force it. Maybe have the Heritage every other year and build the hype that, but if you go over two for an NHL season-- it just becomes another game.

Semantics aside, the final product delivered beyond the lack of true hype it got. The people came out in droves and lapped up every bit they could. It was great for the city, the teams, and the league. It did what it's exact task and got interests from those who wanted to take interest in it. The setting was stellar, the weather was as many remembered when playing on that pond, and it will be a lasting memory for all who participated in it.

Taking the ASG Outside

It's time for All-Star Weekend, with many people begrudgingly accepting this game and many refusing to watch and maybe shoveling themselves out of the snow-maggedon that's happening throughout the continent. But is there something that could actually make people take interest in this whole thing again, because it is a glorified shinny game-- we can all agree on that.

The only answer to this-- take it outside. Make the All-Star Game the Winter Classic and away you go.

There is an understanding that the NHL won't let this happen because you're combining two big moneymaking ventures and putting it into one, which not only takes away a revenue day for the NHL, but takes a revenue day away from another city. That alone could make it a deterrent for people to get on board, especially after the NHL is in its fifth year of revenue growth, which you can probably bank is on its ability to get sponsorship for their special events like the All-Star Game and Winter Classic as separate entities. Yet, while the money will be the big factor, that's about all I can see as a turn-off to making two become one, like so much Spice Girls. It almost seems like it makes sense in all honesty on a number of reasons.

First, while the appeal of playing a regular season game outside is something amazing, the fact remains it still is a league game and if push comes to shove, it could turn into a turning point in the standings for one of the teams if the conditions are perfect or they lose a player to injury because of the conditions. The All-Star Game as the Winter Classic could be something where the speed isn't going to be a factor, because it's already at a slower pace than a regular season game. Plus, there's not going to be much contact, thus the rate of injury from that goes down. The only concern is the ice condition, which could play a factor, but I don't know how much of one in the end since Dan Craig is a G-D magician with the conditions of the ice.

Second, players may not be inclined to decline an invitation because they want the weekend of rest. Now, injuries have played a factor into the lack of star power, but when the rosters were revealed, the amount of head-shaking of the "snubs" was monumental or something. But players may want to have the experience of playing outside and wouldn't have their GM lobby to keep them off the roster to rest if they want to participate something on this scale. Granted, you'll have situations like Jarome Iginla and Roberto Luongo dealing with family-- which is noble and family comes first. However, if it's just precautionary-- then it's a disservice to the league to have their best players sitting out because they don't want to "exert" themselves with this game.

Third, the outdoor game could go anywhere, which is something that the Winter Classic can't promise. The fact of the matter is that the Winter Classic is a game that's usually reserved for a match-up people will watch on TV; like the Caps/Pens and the Hawks/Wings. That means that most teams won't be apart of a match-up on the Winter Classic, even if they have some kind of stars on their team-- like Rick Nash on the Blue Jackets. This All-Star Game does a lot of the league-- it displays the stars of each team on a giant scale and if it's outside, you know the buzz will be there because people will watch the outdoor game even if they aren't interested in the outcome of the All-Star setting. It will also allow the game to travel around to markets that may not get a Winter Classic game because it's not a prime destination to make ice, even though like I said-- Dan Craig is a magician. Fans in those locales will enjoy seeing this possible once-in-a-lifetime event and see all the stars play like how they learn-- from a frozen pond.

The biggest stopping point is the money and revenue that the separate events bring in. If you combine the two into the one event, it slices the revenue in half and will probably kill a lot of the travel and buzz about the Winter Classic since it's a gimmick within a gimmick. Fans may not buy into it, but to make people care about the All-Star game-- player and fan alike, this seems like a no-brainer. But, with money being the biggest thing that comes in from both of these-- it'll probably never happen at all.

Friday Five: New Year, New Problems

Hope all of you had the greatest New Year's ever and all those shenanigans. However, the Friday Five is the auld acquaintance that'll never leave. Or something....I've got nothing.

1. Martin Brodeur has been riding the pine in lieu of Johan Hedberg, and for good reasoning. Are we witness the burnout of Brodeur before our eyes??

It's quite the issue on whether this is just a bad year for Brodeur and the Devils or the ravages of age and overuse catching up to the modern-era's greatest goalie in wins. The Devils aren't doing much to help him out in front of him and it seems that the karma is getting back to the Devils quicker than expected, as all the bounces aren't going their way at all. That said, we are definitely seeing a changing of the guard with the Devils-- which probably won't include Hedberg, but the point is that the goaltending department will have a big shake-up in Jersey and this is the first process rearing its ugly head.

2. While the Islanders were doing well for a while there, their goaltending issues could be their downfall-- was it foolish to get rid of Dwayne Roloson this early??

The Isles are a streaky team this year and could end up with a close to .500 record if they can even out their hot and cold streaks. However, with their tandem of Nathan Lawson and Kevin Poulin until Rick DiPietro gets healthy again; this is not good news. The Isles could have jumped the gun for dumping Roloson, but what other option did they have?? They had to sell high and try to get what they could get-- which isn't much for a 41-year-old goalie. Garth Snow did what he was told, which could have compromised the hot streak they were having heading into their Western swing.

3. The Winter Classic was all the rage and covered a lot during the week. Final thoughts??

It was a classic battle and it was a great boost for the League. Even so, the question is where's the next one and with the weather as it was-- squashes any argument to not have it in one of the Sunbelt cities. Dan Craig is a magician and he can do what's needed in order to put a game in a market that needs a gimmick like this to draw attention to the team would could be struggling otherwise.

4. Back to Jersey, Jamie Langenbrunner has cleaned out his locker and waiting to see where his next destination is. How painful is it to be sitting around like that and how much of a shot to ego is it to just be waiting there for commands??

It's definitely a shot to the ego when you're the captain and they go to you first before anyone else to move. Yet, I would almost think it's a reprieve from purgatory and maybe a fresh start from the hell that is New Jersey. Yet, in this world of technology, it's got to sting to know that you're out because you're waiting for a trade rather than just a mysterious injury. That said, it's a great look into the process of how it happens and how long it takes to finalize a deal with all the clauses that have to be overcome in order to achieve a trade.

5. Brayden Schenn swept most of the awards at the WJC despite his teams' monumental collapse and playing on a separated shoulder. With him going back to junior, which way could his motivation go??

Schenn is going back to a dismal Brandon Wheat Kings team and Schenn could be a little put off from going to an extreme high like the Canadian juniors then back to a team that's last in their division. However, you have to figure that Schenn won't dog it, mostly due to wanting to make the LA Kings notice that he's ready for the next step. He didn't seem to lose a step when he went back to juniors and showed he has the ability to play big at the WJC. We'll see how well Schenn does when he gets back from injury-- but the Kings probably did the right thing sending him back, rather than having him rot in the press box.

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That's another week in the books and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did-- and I know you did. If you didn't, email me at Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com with some suggestions on what you want to see in the F5; topic wise or whatever.

Next Western Winter Classic

The Winter Classic has come to a close for another year, so we now speculate on where it's going to be held next. There's been two Eastern Conference Classic's in the past two seasons, so you have to believe that there needs to be a Western Conference Classic coming up, though many of the East Coast biases would say the Heritage Classic in Calgary denotes one.

Regardless, the no-brainer is either a Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field or Minnesota Wild at TCF Bank Stadium or Target Field location for the next Winter Classic. Both are very hockey mad cities, both have the climate to be able to hold a Winter Classic (though this year's showed that the NHL ice crew can do anything in any climate), and there's a rivalry that each team could have. In fact, I think it's a great idea to have the two teams face off against each other; mostly so we don't have a repeat team.

However, the idea of a Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars game isn't horrible, if you put the Avs and Wild against each other, it's the two US teams from the Northwest Division, who get lost in the coverage because of the fact they are in with three other Canadian teams and play at insane times for being on the West Coast. Minnesota's hockey resume definitely speaks for itself, while Colorado is a two-time Cup winner and have had a lot of greats and future greats pass through their organization. It's a great display of good young talent out there.

That said, many would want to have the Winter Classic contain someone like the Detroit Red Wings or Chicago Blackhawks again, or even the Los Angeles Kings in order to get some ratings in, but sadly-- it's not always about ratings. Especially against a Pens/Caps Winter Classic which drew the best NHL ratings in 36 years. You cannot top something like that and you should put this gimmick to bed on a high-note-- but you won't because it's a great revenue generator and could be a reason to spotlight young teams who wouldn't normally get the big TV coverage.

The bottom line, the next Winter Classic has to be out west. If the idea of this is to truly grow the game, get past the Mississippi River once and a while and get those teams some TV time on the big stage. Also, no repeats-- because....come on, what fun is that if you keep having the Red Wings or Penguins or Capitals or Blackhawks in this game??

(Let it be known, I'm all for a Boise State Bronco Stadium game with the Phoenix Coyotes wearing the Winnipeg Jets blue's while on the blue turf.)

Friday Five: Capital Worries

It's another end of the week, which brings about the Friday Five-- where I just look at some storylines and comment on it. It's simple, that much I know.

1. The Caps have dropped four in a row, when does the panic set in??

You can almost see that the wheels on the bandwagon are getting loose-- but if it hasn't set in yet for the team, it should soon. You almost have to think they've bought into their own hype from last year and the pre-season predictions. That said, it's not the Caps are playing horrific, but it seems when they do slide, it gets magnified more than some other teams out there. I think it's more alarming that Alex Ovechkin isn't shooting enough (for his standards), even though he's on pace for a record number of points.

2. What, if anything, can stop the slide and actually get them to the dominant team everyone thought they'd be??

I still say that the platoon goaltending isn't going to last through the entire year and I think that the inexperience of both Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth at the NHL level will be the end of them. That's an opinion that's not popular amongst Caps fans, but it's something that seems to plague the Caps fateful. They like their home-grown talent and their folk-hero players-- but sadly, that will most likely lead to disappointment when it matters most. So, my guess is an experienced goalie will help by the deadline-- but it could happen sooner if the struggles continue.

3. IIHF is re-starting the Champions' League for the 2011-12 season. Is it really a Champions' League if there's no Stanley Cup or even Calder Cup representative??

It's a bit of a misnomer to promote a Champions' League and not have a Stanley Cup winner there, but it's something where the MLS isn't there for the European Soccer Champions' League. This is something that should only be European only because their schedules are more lenient and allows them to schedule other games outside of their league games. It'd be nice for there to be a North America representation, but it's definitely less than necessary to have them there. Let the Cup champs and Champions' League winner face-off in the Victoria Cup in September to really show themselves off.

4. Hate to make it Caps-sentric, but what can we expect out of both teams for the Winter Classic alumni game??

For the Caps, we already know that Peter Bondra will be playing, but no one else. I'd love to see Scott Stevens, Rod Langway, Sylvain Cote, Al Iafrate, and Calle Johansson on the blue line. Michal Pivonka, Mike Gartner, Bengt Gustafsson, Dale Hunter, and (sadly) Craig Laughlin up front. If they can get Don Beaupre and/or Jim Carey in net (though Olie Kolzig will make the trip over if need be), that'd be amazing.

The Penguins already announced that Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, and newly retired Bill Guerin will be on the roster. You can bet that Ulf Samuelsson will probably make the trip over and you can bet Bryan Trottier and maybe even Kevin Stevens will be on the list. Tom Barrasso will probably be in net, since I can't think of anyone outside of Ken Wregget would be worthy enough.

The game will have the Caps alumni go up quick then lose late-- as is the story for every Caps/Pens series. As a long suffering Caps fan, I know how this story goes.


5. With waffles being thrown in Toronto, what else could we seen thrown in the future at other venue??

We've seen waffles, snakes, hard-helmets, and even sextoys-- but I don't know what else that could be thrown that could cause a ruckus. You could see a lot of recycled things being thrown out during Calgary Flames games, while I definitely await the Yarmulke trick happening in Miami-- even though Hanukkahs is over. With Operation Curly Fries, Red Wings fans could throw fries-- but they already have the octopus, so I don't think you could do both....unless it's octopus filled with curly fries; which would be amazing. Maybe fried calamari for the combination.

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You guys can get on this, too-- if you don't like what I've got, suggest your own. Email me Scotty.Wazz@Gmail.com and submit something you'd like me to talk about and get an opinion. If not, well-- you enjoy these ramblings of not your own.

Make It Nine Outdoor Games

In what could be the biggest gimmick to not die since the Brooklyn Brawler....there's yet ANOTHER outdoor game going on. The Connecticut Whale (nee Hartford Wolf Pack) announced that they would be holding an outdoor game against the Providence Bruins as part as Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 on February 19th.

So, let's see what kind of count we have for outdoor games this year:

AJHL: November 26th, 2010: Drayton Valley Thunder at Fort McMurray Oil Barons
NCAA: December 4th, 2010: Concordia University at Adrian College Bulldogs
NCAA: December 11th, 2010: Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines
NHL: January 1st, 2011: Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins
WHL: January 15th, 2011: Kootenay Ice at Spokane Chiefs
Finnish Elite: February 5th, 2011: Jokerit at HIFK
AHL: February 19th, 2011: Providence Bruins at Connecticut Whale
NHL: February 20th, 2011: Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames
WHL: February 21st, 2011: Regina Pats at Calgary Hitmen

So, how Henry Winkler isn't going to every game to jump over the rinks-- because this idea has truly jumped the shark because it's a nice little cash grab. You know it's out of hand when the Central League and Southern Professional League get into the mix below the Mason-Dixon Line. Plus, you can bet there's going to be a Russian game, as they have done it in the past-- so it's getting to the breaking point. Sad, because it could have been something special-- now it's oversaturated.

The Reality of the Reality Situation

It's being reported that HBO is going to put a "Hard Knocks" type of docu-drama (via Wyshynski) together about the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, leading up to the Winter Classic at Heinz Field on New Year's Day. Shockingly, this may not sit well with some, but others could eat it up.

The thing about the fans of the NHL is that they're a confusing bunch. They want a lot of coverage for the NHL in the mainstream. However, the participants that are picked for the mainstream coverage are overused in sporting what the game is about, thus making fans unhappy. They want their cake and to eat it, as well. The problem is that it's not going to work that way in the real world of entertainment and exposure.

While Puck the Media's Steve Lepore is right in saying that it's an overused narrative that may not create a personality beyond what has been shown to us thus far, the fact remains that it's the NHL being put out to a potential big audience with two of the most recognizable names playing the game today. The NHL wants to market their product to outliers and what better way to do it than to display Ovechkin and Crosby to the mainstream. Sadly, it hasn't been able to catch on using NBC or other avenues, so maybe one last kick in the can with HBO will do it.

More over, you cannot base a series and hour long shows to just Crosby and Ovechkin. That's a given because they are already known up and down by most people. What this does, to me, is give the producers a chance to give more insight to the other players that surround the teams. People can learn more about Evgeni Malkin, Nicklas Backstrom, M-A Fleury, and John Carlson than they every would without doing the research themselves or hope that one of them surpass the other two for popularity. You're going to learn more about the players, the coaches, the drama in the locker room should a team get down, the joy of wins coming from unlikely heroes. You have plenty of story lines, like the Penguins heading into their new digs, the Caps young defense and goaltending, the Penguins new faces and both teams need for depth scoring. While Ovechkin and Crosby will be main-focused, there are going to be other outlets for players to learn about.

And yes, I will admit the Ovechkin/Crosby story line does get stale-- how could it not when the NHL has been running with it, but it's still going to be one of the better rivalries to be out there for this coming season and season's to come-- so you're going to have to get used to it. I'm sure the same would have went with Gretzky and Lemieux had they played in the same Conference when they were in their primes. Which is just it-- the uniqueness of this "feud" is that these teams already have a deep resentment for each other because of the playoff meetings in the 90s with some of more memorable overtime games; but add to it two of the best players in the NHL and it's going to be amped up more. I can't really think of two players of this caliber battling it out and meeting each other in the regular season with this much frequency in the past. I'm sure I'll be corrected, but still.

There's always going to be teams that are going to be overused in trying to promote the game. Why?? Because more often than not, they get the biggest draw because they're more recognizable. The vicious cycle is that other teams that aren't as popular won't get shown, which could get them more popularity. At the same time, this isn't communism, so everyone won't get their fair share of TV time. How many times in the 90's did we have to hear about the Avalanche, Flyers, and Red Wings playing on National Hockey Night?? They brought in the most viewers, which is what the NHL is aiming for. Maybe this series will capture a great feat of one of the opposing teams, which someone will catch while watching and turn them onto that player or team-- it could happen.

There's been a push for a reality series for a while by some and now it seems to be coming true if all falls into place. Sure, it's going to be teams who are pushed to the max now, but it's a start. If this series does well, who knows what doors it could open up to other teams. Love them or hate them, you have to keep an open mind because it's for the greater good of the sport. If you expect hockey to grow out of the niche status (maybe not by much, but still); then people will have to support it when it keeps throwing the same people in the national spotlight time after time. Abandoning the show or games because it's not your team is not the way the sport will grow. Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it.

Making a Case for Future Winter Classics

While I know that it's April Fool's (which is something that used to be funny, but is now annoying with the internets), this is a completely serious craptastic piece used to be humorous, but will be a big flop. We had mentioned on FOHS, which will be up in six months, I'm sure-- about whether or not the Winter Classic will lose it's appeal, especially if it's match-ups people don't want to see, like the Penguins being in it twice in four editions.

Yet, while thinking about ideas-- there's definitely two I'd like to see. Granted-- these two ideas are very out there and would have to take a lot of work to sell, but if they could be able to pull it off, it could be fantastic for exposure. These ideas are all about gimmicks upon gimmicks. The NHL is keen on gimmicks, like it's the WWE-- which is why we have the Winter Classic. So, you take one gimmick and add another-- ratings gold.

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To start it off, the idea that we had on the show as a nightcap to the Winter Classic-- the Edmonton Oilers and Phoenix Coyotes at Bronco Stadium, on the Smurf Turf, in Boise, Idaho. What could be better, two teams that really need the exposure, playing in the cold January of Boise on top of the already gimmicky blue turf.

Of course, with the Humanitarian Bowl they have there, the game couldn't be part of the Winter Classic, but part of a second Winter Classic-- thus killing the nightcap idea, but still. The Oilers organization has already been in it and has a lot of young talent to show off to the American viewing public, since the Oilers haven't been nationally seen in the US since the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. Think about Ales Hemsky and Taylor Hall/Tyler Seguin on a give-and-go against Ilya Bryzgalov while dealing the harsh Boise windstorm. It'd help the NHL to expose the Coyotes to the viewing public, as well, if they haven't gotten sold by then.

The worry for the NHL will probably be attendance and how to get people out there. The student body of Boise State would be in Winter break, so they won't get that pull, but I think there's enough interest from Eastern Washington and Oregon for people to come out from that far away. Plus, the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL (where they get "Noisy in Boise"-- get it??) could parlay this into an outdoor game for themselves, which would be nice to get them some exposure since the AHL Outdoor Classic was a success in Syracuse.

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The second idea was brought to me by The Girl who brought the idea of the Florida Panthers taking on the St. Louis Blues under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. To have a game of this magnitude under one of America's well-known landmarks would bring about a lot of buzz from everyone involved.

The good points about this are also downsides as well. Of course, you won't have to worry about getting a football team out of their stadium since there's nothing played there, but the thought of building make-shift stands to house people would be the main concern. Even still-- this way, the NHL can actually make the rules that way on how many people can come into the game, thus making the tickets a hot commodity in that respect. If that doesn't work, you can have the game at Busch Stadium III, where there's a panoramic view of the city and the Arch in the background-- which will give the appeal of the Arch, but not really wreck the landmark and risk fan safety by make-shift stands.

And while the Panthers can be replaced by whomever, the Blues are a solid franchise with a great appeal of the young players and a franchise that has a decent history about them. The fact John Davidson has turned the team around in a short time and really turned them around, they deserve the chance to be exposed to the nationwide audience and maybe get some fans to support and embrace this latest Youth Movement team.

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These are very out there and outlandish ideas, but it's something that the NHL needs to look at. With other teams, especially in the South and West, wanting to get into the exposure this game can bring-- you may have to go with unpopular choices as the teams and go into neutral territories for a game to work for teams in non-traditional markets. Plus, while some people may not like it-- it'll expose the public to other teams outside of the 6 to 8 teams the NHL likes to put onto display on the national stage.

For the Winter Classic to have longevity, the NHL will have to think outside the box to get more teams into the whole festiveness of it, as well as doing it in order to stop the repetition of areas it's going to be played in; which will eventually happen. Thankfully, Minnesota having two new outdoor stadiums being built; that adds another location to put it in and give the Wild some exposure they hoped to get when first getting the expansion team.

2010 Battle of the Cheesesteaks Review

For all the FOHS Live Blog excitement, check out the replay of it with all the fun and randomness below. There was plenty of drunkenness, Ellen Page drops, Chara-bombs, Julie Gaffney drops, and just a regular FOHS gig, but in type form. Plenty of cursing, so if you're sensitive-- yeah.



As far as the game itself, the first period was a tease. There was a great pace to the first 20 minutes and it looked like the ice was the best it had ever been in the Winter Classic priors, even with the fire extinguishers for the quick re-freeze. Yet, it was not to be.

The next 37 minutes was a really slow paced affair. There seemed to be very sloppy play, many turnovers and not much flow to the entire game. However, the last three minutes and then the overtime kind of made up for the whole fact the prior 57 minutes were somewhat "meh." The old guard of Mark Recchi scoring the first goal for the Bruins to tie it up was fitting and the Marco Sturm game-winner make the Joe Thornton trade somewhat tolerable....for four minutes.

The presentation was pretty alright. The unneeded Denis Leary/Lenny Clarke "Sweet Caroline" petered out quick and was a bit unnecessary. The Dropkick Murphys were alright, but I'm tired of "Shipping Up To Boston" being used all the damn time. Makes me puke a bit every time I hear it. CBC's coverage was great, with great angles, great sound, and great coverage on the sidelines throughout Fenway Park with Elliotte Friedman. As a whole, it was another great production by the NHL and showed this thing could work.

Now, onto the future......

First of all, I don't think that a second game is needed or wanted by the NHL. This is a special thing, two teams get the pass, one venue is focused on and the story continues. If you add a second game to it all, I don't think you'll have the same allure to the game that you do now. The hype would be a little killed off and you would want to cut it back to just one in the end. The NHL has to be careful when it comes to how to deal with this in the future.

Second, the teams need to be picked properly. While there are plenty of Capitals fans who though their team would be better suited and create more scoring-- is that always the best answer?? Who's to say they would be the run-and-gun team out in the elements?? I think the fact they would be not used to outdoors would be a hinderance to it all. If the Capitals are going to be in a Winter Classic, the odds are the game will be with a Western Conference team, like Minnesota or Colorado to get the fans to venture out there and give the Western teams (West of the Mississippi, that is) more exposure to this whole ordeal.

I would say the Winter Classic is a success again, but not in a landslide as it has been. There was something to this game that wasn't right after the first 20 minutes and maybe the conditions were in effect, but it seemed to slow down when the second period started. We'll have to see what the NHL does with this event next year and then talk about how the teams should be different and venue should have been somewhere else.

Ending an Outdoor Ty Tradition

While the snow is starting to fall in Boston, creating a nice allure at Fenway Park; there is a bit of emptiness. Sure, the NHL thinks this could help things-- setting the scene that they had created in their promos for this event, there's something missing. Something that we have come to expect with an outdoor game. With this piece not being there, I'm sure that things will never be the same because of it.

That's right, this year-- Ty Conklin will not be a starter for an outdoor game in the NHL. I'll give you all a minute to recover.

Unless something is pulled off in the next few hours, Conklin will still be part of the St. Louis Blues and will be missing out on his first outdoor game; a tradition that is rooted in his appearance at the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton. Since then, Conklin was the starter for the Heritage Classic and the first two Winter Classics in Buffalo and Chicago, both times for the opposing team (Pittsburgh and Detroit respectively). It would have been perfect for the Flyers to pick up Conklin because he is going to be playing an away game (where he's 2-0-0 as opposed to 0-1-0 in home outdoor games) and because they needed a goalie.

It was in 2003 when Conklin was filling in for an injured Tommy Salo and braved the cold Edmonton weather to take on the Canadiens. While he did lose, he make his mark. You have to lose before you learn how to win. Move onto Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo when he put on the baby blues for the Pittsburgh Penguins and beat the Buffalo Sabres in a shootout, which was one more step for the great Conklin Classic. It moved onto Chicago's Wrigley Field where he went in as a late-fill-in for the Red Wings, as Chris Osgood tweaked his groin. Conklin got plenty of support and finally won in regulation as the Red Wings took down the Blackhawks.

Plus, Conklin has been know to create good mantra to be in the the Stanley Cup Final, as he was there the past two seasons with Pittsburgh and Detroit and was there for Edmonton, which created the amazingness of Knob Hockey for all of us. For a team like the Flyers, that kind of mojo, even with Ray Emery coming back soon, would be huge for a confident boost on that team.

Granted, all the stadiums prior (sans Edmonton) were home to teams who were so close to championships, but just came up short. The Red Sox have won recently, which may throw off his game because he's not used to seeing championship banners from this century.

But alas, it is not to be. Conklin (as far as we know) won't be at this year's Winter Classic and will break his streak of outdoor games. I still hope for a run-in with a steel chair or something like that. Doubt it'll happen, but maybe he can get there an just watch on the sidelines seething waiting for his chance and maybe putting a voodoo curse on the goalies so he could come in and be the guy who saves the game by being the goalie waiting in the wings.

The Winter Classic will miss Ty Conklin.

Winter Classic 2010: Battle of the.....

We're less than a month away from the Winter Classic and it's time to figure out what to call this battle. Throughout the years, we've had epic outdoor match-ups in the NHL.

It's started with the Heritage Classic with the Edmonton Oilers facing the Montreal Canadiens. That was the Battle of the Dynasties, with the Oilers' coming from the 80's and the Canadiens prior to that. It was an epic battle that came down to the last five minutes and Richard Zednik getting the winner in the end. It started a trend for games outdoors on New Year's Day of all times.

The Winter Classic in 2008 saw the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. It could have been a Battle of Young Gun teams, what with both teams having a lot of ammo in their prospects, but thanks to the cultures in each city; it was the Battle of the Blue Collar, which worked because the Pens introduced their baby-blue jerseys in that epic game, which saw Sidney Crosby score on Ryan Miller in the shootout to set the tone for the NHL outdoor game.

In 2009, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings. The obvious approach would be the Old Guard vs. New Guard; but you have to go deeper for this. The Battle of the Sound-- the Detroit Motown scene against the Chicago blue's scene. Seemed that Motown was back in a big way with the Red Wings taking it to the young Hawks 6-4.

Yet, with the 2010 it's kind of hard to place how to deal with these two teams. You could the route of the Original Six vs. the Next Six-- you could go the Battle of the Overrated. However, we at Face Off Hockey Show have dubbed it....


....the Battle of the Cheesesteaks!!!

That's right, folks-- you all know about the legend of the Philly Cheesesteak and the battle in Philadelpha between Geno's and Pat's for cheesesteak supremecy, but little do people know of the Boston Cheesesteak. In fact, we didn't know about it until we went to Boston Pizza in Calgary and checked out the menu. Lo and behold-- there it was: The Boston Cheesesteak. Here's a description of the Boston Cheesesteak, which is kind of like a Philly cheesesteak; but Bostonized...I guess.

So, while it's a reach-- it's also a start. We never said we were geniuses, but we could come up with some clutch in the process. Stay tuned for more on what we have in store for the Battle of the Cheesesteaks. Plus, you can think of match-ups in the comments section for the 2011 Winter Classic.

Seven Games To See.....Or Not

Everyone has been a-buzz when it comes to the NHL schedule coming out. Me, I've been alright with it. I'm letting it soak in since we won't see action until September training camps, so I don't wanna get my hopes up in mid-July. However, having digested the schedule for a short time, I've got some games for you folks to mark down on the calendar.....or not.

For those wondering, the arbitrary number of seven is in honor of a friend who hit trip-sevens on Wednesday morning.

October 28th: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Dallas Stars-- This year's highly touted Swedish free-agent meets last year's highly touted Swedish free-agent as Jonas Gustavsson faces off against Fabian Brunnstrom. No truth to the rumors that Brunnstrom will tell Gustavsson to beware the Ides of November....right on through until the end of April.

November 10th: Edmonton Oilers vs. Ottawa Senators-- Odds are in favor of Dany Heatley will be playing in this game. For which team-- that's anyone's guess at this point. Yet, both teams could be out of the playoff contention and dealing with goaltending issues by this point in the season.

November 16th: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Phoenix Coyotes-- If there was a game to be played in a three-ring circus, this is it. What, with the mess that we all know the Tampa Bay Lightning is and the debacle in the desert that is the Coyotes; boy howdy-- put a tent of that circus. And who's to say either of these messes will be cleaned up by then, which will make this much more fantastic to me.

December 2nd: Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils-- With Jacques Lemaire back behind the bench for the Devils and the Canucks' defensive posture-- this could be the only documented game with negative scoring to take place.

January 1st: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins-- This game will be the Winter Classic, yes. However, it will be seen if anyone can survive the "Monster Drinking Game" with Pierre McGuire at Fenway Park. Plus, it could be the first Winter Classic where the action in the stands between the Philly fans and Bostonians could outweigh the action on the ice.

February 7th: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals-- Now, this game is one to watch if the Steelers make it to the Super Bowl (since it is Super Bowl Sunday), because it could mark the first time the Capitals would have home-ice advantage in Verizon Center in a game against the Penguins for the longest time. Of course, if the Steelers don't make the Super Bowl, this all goes out the window.

April 11th: Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks-- This is the last game of the regular season and could be a deciding game for both of these teams. However, this could be the most insignficant game out there if both teams are locked into their position. It could go either way, but it will prep us for the playoffs if it's a barnburner. Oddly enough, the Ducks and Oilers will have the last game before the Olympic break too on February 14th.

Gimmicks Gone Wild

We all know about the 2010 Winter Classic all but certainly going to Boston's Fenway Park with the Bruins taking on either the Washington Capitals or Philadelphia Flyers. However, there seems to be not so much competition for the site, but a partner for the site as EJ Hradek first broke that the Calgary Flames could be playing a Winter Classic game at McMahon Stadium against another Canadian team.

First, I'll get my hopes up that this is true and that living in Calgary may pay off in this instance. If this does happen, you can bet I'll be trying to get some kind of entry into this, whether it be for press credentials or overpaying for a ticket, but somehow-- I'll try to get into this game.

Now, with that out of the way-- I have to say that this may be pushing the envelope of making this gimmick tolerable. The magic about the Winter Classic is that it's something that is/was exclusive to one game and two teams. If you try to throw a second game in there, doesn't it take away from the prestige of the whole thing?? You would think that if the NHL wanted to show off the game and make it special-- why can't you keep it at one game?? I know that this could be the ploy to not exclude the Canadians to this whole thing since there hasn't been an outdoor game in Canada since the Heritage Classic in 2003. Add this to the Montreal Canadiens saying they want an outdoor game-- this could be a disaster for the uniqueness of the game format.

Plus, while a game in Calgary could be nice-- the problem is that it could be anywhere from -40c/f or +14c/57f in these crazy weather times in Calgary-- it snows in June here for pete's sake. Of course, the former is more likely, which could turn into a bad thing for fans and players alike....because that's damn cold, I don't care how tough you are. I know a lot of players weren't too pleased when they had to play in Edmonton in those freezing temperatures. The case could be the same with this ordeal, if the weather is just right. Sure, it just adds to the tradition of the thing, but still-- there's a line you don't need to cross when it comes to player's health so they don't get some kind of hypothermia. Sure, that's an extreme, but should not be discounted.

If you try to overuse a gimmick, it will grow stale, it will get old, and it will not be as profitable anymore. Sure, everyone wants to see and play in an outdoor game, but if you overdo it, you'll get sick of it and want them to stop it. It's just nature of the beast and something that goes with anything in this world. The NHL needs to take heed and realize that maybe you can get too much of a good thing.

What Have We Learned: Winter Classic '09

Now that the 2009 Edition of the Winter Classic is over, it's time to steal a bit from "Opie and Anthony" and play What Have We Learned.

-The Ice Was Right: NHL ice czar Dan Craig and his crew deserve all the credit they get and more. The ice they made on Wrigley Field was perfect for game and allowed a great flow to the game and allowed the players to make crisp passes and solid dekes as opposed to the ice from a year ago.

-More Doesn't Mean Better: Luckily, I was able to get both the NBC and CBC feeds for the game. While NBC had more angles and more cameras, the CBC's angles and camerawork was much better with the less cameras they had. The shots were tighter and more precise than what NBC presented. Sure, CBC has been doing this for years, but you'd think NBC would hire guys who knew how to deal with hockey games....or not.

-Field of Dreams: For all the doubt that a baseball field would work, by all accounts the sightlines were very solid regardless of your seats. Of course, sitting higher was probably better in this case, but still-- it wasn't as awful as some people may have thought.

-Ty's the Guy: If I'm a team, I'm looking to get Ty Conklin through free agency or a trade because that almost guarantees an outdoor game. This is Conklin's third start in an outdoor game and has the experience to deal with the elements.

-Tale After 20 Minutes: The Blackhawks took it to the Wings in the first period, but after that it was all Detroit. You have to wonder if the buzz in the first helped the Hawks get out to the 3-1 lead, but why couldn't they have held that intensity for the other 40 minutes that remained and that counted??

-Depth Kills: The Red Wings had 10 players with a point, three with multi-point games, and five goal-scorers. Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, and Henrik Zetterberg all had three points, while the Wings also got goals from unlikely sources like Brian Rafalski and Brett Lebda.

-Home Ice Disadvantage: No home team has won an outdoor game, but this edition was the first to not to be a one-goal game. You have to wonder if teams would not lobby to take in the outdoor game in fear of a loss, but would love it because of the extra revenue.

-Cheli's Swan Song??: Chris Chelios only played 1:57 and you have to wonder if this was it for him in terms of playing. His injuries this season have hampered him and this could be the best way to go out, playing in the Winter Classic in his hometown in a victory for his squad. His heart may be there, but the body may not have enough in the tank.

-Huet's Mr. Hyde: There's times he looked amazing, but Cristobal Huet's Jekyll and Hyde routine continues as he let up some soft goals and was bobbling the puck many times in the 43+ minutes he played in. However, without much help in front of him, the blame shouldn't be put too much on his shoulders.

Now, we await to see where the next venue will be for the Winter Classic in 2010 and if the trend of home teams losing continues and if Ty Conklin will get another outdoor start.

Winter Classic Locale Wishlist

It has been announced that the 2009 Winter Classic will be held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, with rumors abound that the 2010 game will be played in new Yankee Stadium. Since this is the new fad of having a once-a-year outdoor game, here's a list of places where I'd love to see the Winter Classic played, in no particular order, of course-- and as a bonus; the possible match-up.

-Molson Stadium, McGill University (Montreal, PQ): Holding true with tradition, McGill University students wrote the first rules of hockey during the first organized game back in 1875. Though the 2010 game seems to be a lock, it would have been nice to have this for the Canadiens' 100th season festivities. Match-Up: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

-Homewood Field, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD): It's an odd choice, especially considering cold temperatures in Maryland at New Year's is hit and miss...mostly miss. That said, it does have historical value to it. Not only was Baltimore the place were the first artificial ice surface was made (no truth to the rumor that it is still used at First Mariner Arena), but Baltimore was the setting for the first ice hockey game in the US, as JHU took on Yale University in 1896, which ended in a 2-2 tie. Match-Up: Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers

-Michigan Stadium, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI): Michigan State got their chance in Lansing to show their stuff, but now UofM has their chance. Of course, the UofM would have a bigger scale with the NHL being the prime locale, but all the same-- it would be good for hockey in the Michigan region. Plus, add the Columbus Blue Jackets-- another UofM vs. Ohio State....well, not really-- but still. Match-Up: Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

-Fenway Park (Boston MA): If Wrigley and the new Yankee Stadiums can hold it, why not the Green Monster at Fenway?? Granted, plans for Boston College and Boston University to host teams from the Midwest were scrapped, any success in Chicago and New York could put pressure for Boston to get with the times and host an outdoor NHL game. Match-Up: Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes (get the Hartford connection....no??)

-Rideau Canal (Ottawa, ON): It's far fetched, but the Canal in winter time is a great place to be around. Plus, when it freezes, the Canal is the world's 2nd largest skating rink, next to the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg. The Senators have already explored options of using the Canal with temporary bleachers for spectators. Match-Up: Ottawa Senators vs. Minnesota Wild

-Canmore, AB: Why not have a game at this place?? It was the setting for the fine film Mystery, Alaska starring Russell Crowe. Plus, in January in the Rocky Mountains-- you're sure to have decent ice and frozen spectators. The only downside is no true stadium to have the game at. Match-Up: Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers

Of course this is just a short list, but I'm sure as time goes on-- I'll expand on it.

As you can see, all of these are above the Mason-Dixon line, and that's just common sense. Sadly, no Southern fans will be able to see it live, unless they travel all over to see it happen. That, or global cooling happens.......or they come up with some sort of super ice compresser for hotter states. Time will tell.

And before I get some emails concerning why there isn't a game in Minnesota-- tell the state to build an outdoor stadium with more than a 25,000 capacity and then I'll add it to the list. Trust me, I tried to fit Minnesota in, but all their stadiums are domed. Though, I did work the Wild into the Ottawa game.

What do you think?? Drop me a line and tell me why my picks stink.