The New York Rangers defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the 10th NHL Winter Classic 3-2 in OT yesterday. It was a great game, but my question is, did you actually watch it? I know for me personally, the Winter Classic used to be must-watch TV. Recently though, I’ve found myself watching about a period or so and then catching the highlights later. It seems like many fans have started to feel the same way.
The Winter Classic is the NHL’s marquee event (outside of the Stanley Cup of course). When it’s done correctly, it is an outstanding experience. There really is no comparison in all of sports to building an ice rink outside and playing a professional sport that is normally played indoors out in the elements. It truly is a special event. So why does the excitement feel like it has diminished from the first Classic in 2008? I have a couple ideas and some suggestions on how to bring back the magic of the Winter Classic.
The biggest complaint everyone agrees on is it’s the same teams that are chosen. Every year, when the next Winter Classic is announced, there’s a collective groan from the majority of fans because it’s another matchup of teams we have already seen play in the game. There have been 10 Winter Classics (2013 was canceled due to the lockout). That’s a total of 20 possible teams that could have potentially played in the game. Out of those 20 possible slots, only 11 teams have been selected for the Winter Classic. That means only 35% of the teams in the league have participated in the game. For a league that is desperate to grow the game, it just seems crazy that they wouldn’t want more teams involved and getting the exposure that comes with playing in the Winter Classic.
Let’s dig a little deeper into those teams, because there’s another underlying problem. The 11 teams that have been selected for the game are the Penguins twice, the Sabres twice, the Red Wings twice, the Blackhawks three times, the Flyers twice, the Bruins twice, the Capitals twice, the Rangers twice, the Maple Leafs, the Canadiens, and finally the Blues. You can go ahead and add another one to both the Blackhawks and the Bruins, since they have been selected for the 2019 Winter Classic. If you’re keeping track that’s 22 potential slots filled by only 11 teams.
Notice a trend with these teams yet? With the exception of St. Louis, all of these teams are either located in the north east or are Original 6 teams. They also happen to be the teams that NBC picks for their Games of the Week the majority of the time. Does NBC really have that much power that they can influence who the NHL selects for Winter Classic? TV contracts are obviously a huge deal and big money, but in the end the NHL has to do what is best for the league.
It’s time for the NHL to start showcasing some new teams and some of their young superstars. Can you imagine a Winter Classic featuring Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Seguin, or P.K. Subban? These are just a few examples of young players that could bring a younger audience and new hype to the game. Jack Eichel is another one, and he just played in his first with the Sabres. The NHL needs to build on that and realize there is more to the league than Crosby, Ovechkin, and Kane, because these players won’t be around forever.
The NHL could also look to playoff rivalries for new teams to participate in the Winter Classic. Just speaking from experience but the Predators had two amazing playoff matchups with the Blues and the Ducks last season. The Blues and Preds are already division rivals and the playoff matchup just added to it. Additionally, there is a definite hatred between the Ducks and the Preds right now after playing so many times in the playoffs. That hatred spilling over into a Winter Classic would make for a great game. There are tons of examples of rivalries being born in the playoffs, and the NHL would be smart to capitalize on those high intensity games.
The other suggestion I have for the NHL would be to look into some high profile venues for the game to be held. I’m a sucker for historic venues. The games held at Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Michigan Stadium were great. Venues like these almost sell the tickets themselves. Next year, the game is in South Bend at Notre Dame. The NHL needs more of that (although without the Blackhawks and Bruins playing in it….again). There’s a couple other venues across the country that fall into this category that I would love to see host the game. The Horseshoe at Ohio State, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, the Rose Bowl, Neyland Stadium, Churchill Downs, the Vegas Strip, and the National Mall in D.C. would all be amazing places to see a game.
The NHL has a great thing going with the Winter Classic. It’s one of the most unique events in all of sports, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. They want to expand and grow the game, but when it comes time to showcase new teams, the league always seems to fall back to the same set of franchises. This has been the complaint for many years, and it’s time to start going outside of their comfort zone. If they can do that and look into some unorthodox venues, I believe they can rejuvenate the Winter Classic and keep it fresh for the next decade and bring in an entire new set of fans.
Herbie Brooks is the Lead Hockey Analyst for SoBros Network. He knows three things: beating Commies, winning Gold Medals, and having great hair. Follow him on Twitter: @SoBroHerbie_B
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