201 replies to this topic

[cprice12]

Price, this isn't about "what's fair for everybody else". This is a business an the entire goal is to make money.

If some teams who aren't as notable don't get into it, they need to focus on being a better franchise so the NHL can't afford not to put them in. In Toronto's case, they are the hockey mecha of the entire world and their only real crime was being based in Canada.

The Blues have JUST started to gain relevancy and they are a secondary rival to other teams in the central (they don't have the original six luster or recent Stanley Cup championships or years of playoff dominance to hang their hat on), so I'm not sure what you expect.

I'm not upset the Blues aren't in it. I don't expect them to be, and I never said they should be.
Sure, I'd like them to be in it, but I understand why they aren't...but that isn't my point...never has been. I'm not sure why that keeps being brought up. The Blues may get in in the future if they continue to play well, make the playoffs and it would help to acquire a superstar to market. It's hard to market balanced scoring and a team game unless you are orginal six or have had recent success, even though they are fun to watch this year.

Anyway, my point is (for the fifth time) after next year, the NHL will have used recycled teams three times in a row in only the 6th year of the event.

I understand why they are doing it, I get it...that's not rocket surgery. But I don't have to like it, and it's perfectly understandable why fans of other teams wouldn't like it.

I like the Winter Classic, I'll watch it no matter who is in it...but it would be nice to see new teams in it every year.

He's right guys. The Blues are a very good NHL team and will be a dominating force for years to come. St. Louis is a beautiful city that deserves to host winter classics and All-Star games. Detroit's style of play is old and they shouldn't be in the spotlight so much more than St. Louis, a very proud NHL franchise.

Aside from the Blues being a good team right know, show me where I inferred anything close to what you are saying.

You don't like posting here, or reading on a...uh, last time I checked, A Detroit Red Wings Forum, then well, I don't need to show you where the door is. You can go to the only place in cyberworld bitching that the Blues aren't in the WC...I am sure you know the address...

So, first you ***** about all the Wings fans on a Wings forum (go figure) and now you wanna come in a bash our city? You aren't playing with a full deck of cards are you?

Yep, sure is! It will also be nice when we are in the SCF again, before the Blues. Keep holding on to your dream that this is you best Blues team ever. You'll be looking for a new starting goalie next season...mark those words down....BUDDY.

Oh, and hey look, I too can neg for no reason...

What??
First off, most of what you commented on was me joking around. You need to get a sense of humor.
Second, the rest of your comments don't even accurately reflect what I have said.

Congrats for completely misreading and misinterpreting my posts.

[Esquire]

If anyone comes across an organized tour bus happening from Windsor/Detroit to Ann Arbor, please let everyone know and post it up here or in a new thread. I'm praying that something like that takes hold. Hell, I might even look into doing it myself.

[cprice12]

I imagine St. Louis winters being too unpredictable to host a WC. The average high in early January I'm assuming to be in the low 40s (or upper 30s as CPrice mentions), sort of pushing the boundary on the whole outdoor ice thing. There is a lot greater chance that it'll be a warm 55 degree winter day in St. Louis than places the game has already been held. The Winter Classic will always be played in places Philadelphia-northward. I expect Denver to get one sometime soon, Minnesota is a no brainer, and you'll certainly see the Rangers hosting one soon.

I guess the best a Blues fan can hope for is that they're invited to be the visiting team.

If the average temp. in St. Louis is 39 degrees on Jan. 1st, how in the world can there be a better chance of it being 55 degrees?
That makes no sense.
Quite often it's cold and snowy on Jan. 1st in St. Louis.

And FYI, it was colder in St. Louis on Jan. 1st this year than it was in Philly for the WC this year. So there's that.

And like I said before, it can be quite warm and still be ok for outdoor ice. NHL ice doesn't melt at 33 degrees. It melts at a much higher temp., plus there's the refrigeration system that keeps it frozen.
The NHL once played an outdoor game at night in Las Vegas in the preseason, so they can almost much have it anywhere they want without concern for the ice. The sun is actually a greater concern for melting the ice than the temp is.

Now, pay attention folks, just to make myself perfectly clear... this is NOT me lobbying and saying the NHL SHOULD have the WC in St. Louis (like some of you will take from this), I'm just saying they easily could if they wanted to without concern for the ice or anything like that.

[cprice12]

You'll be looking for a new starting goalie next season...mark those words down....BUDDY.

I'd love to hear why you think this is the case.
Right now, the Blues have the best goaltending in the NHL (a team 1.91 GAA) and essentially have two #1's. Enlighten me as to why you think they will all of a sudden need a new #1 to start next season.

[Esquire]

Ok, and I also send a tweet to Alyonka Larionov and asked if she thinks the Professor would play in the alumni game:

@AlyonkaLarionov If the Winter Classic takes place in Michigan in 2013, what are the odds your father take part? #originalquestion

@ShaunSolo for the alumni game? If he's asked I'm sure he'll participate

She KNOWS me now. Swoooooon.

[Hockeytown Red Wings]

If the average temp. in St. Louis is 39 degrees on Jan. 1st, how in the world can there be a better chance of it being 55 degrees?
That makes no sense.

St Louis, Weather


The game was played on January 2nd. The temperature in St. Louis that day? 55.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

January 1, 2011? 64 degrees.
January 1, 2010. 37 degrees.
January 1, 2009. 43 degrees.
January 1, 2008. 35 degrees.

In Detroit, the temp was above 35 only once in those years.

As you've said, they have the ability to keep ice frozen above freezing temperatures, but it doesn't really feel like the Winter Classic if it's 50 degrees out.

And since you've stated you're not lobbying to get the game at St. Louis, I'll leave it alone.

[Barrie]

Anyway, my point is (for the fifth time) after next year, the NHL will have used recycled teams three times in a row in only the 6th year of the event.

I like the Winter Classic, I'll watch it no matter who is in it...but it would be nice to see new teams in it every year.

There's talk out there about doing this every second year now, for the point you brought up. Soon teams will be in it for a 3rd time. They're running out of markets to have it in.

I've been saying the last few years that the outdoor game should be the All-Star Game. That was you can expand and use Canadian cities too, which will cut down on their moaning and crying.

Edit: Despite saying that, any word on the street about when tickets go on sale for the Wings-Leafs game and average price? My cousin and I are interested in going.

Edited by Barrie, 20 January 2012 - 12:55 PM.

[rrasco]

Edit: Despite saying that, any word on the street about when tickets go on sale for the Wings-Leafs game and average price? My cousin and I are interested in going.

It's not officially announced yet so I don't think there is any word on when they will go on sale.

[Hockeytown0001]

I'd love to hear why you think this is the case.
Right now, the Blues have the best goaltending in the NHL (a team 1.91 GAA) and essentially have two #1's. Enlighten me as to why you think they will all of a sudden need a new #1 to start next season.

I can agree with that. As far as I know, Halak is still under contract next season and Elliott just re-signed for two years. They're playing great hockey.

[vladdy16]

This is a Winter Classic thread; let's please get back to discussing that.

Fans of non-Original Six teams will never get what it means to be a part of that. I can't fault them for it, but neither should they fault us for feeling it's something special.

Few outside of baby boomers will understand the Detroit/Toronto rivalry. It was the game of the season for me growing up. Toronto is still a rivalry as far as my son is concerned, but he'll never understand the infinite depth of that heated contest. Leafs fans feel the same way. It's not relevant to many outside of these two older fan bases. That doesn't make it any less real or any less one of the best games of the season and a must-win. Fortunately for Detroit and Toronto, the fan base is big enough to keep this rivalry at the forefront of the league's mind for events such as these. Wings/Leafs will be a rivalry probably until my generation dies out or or the Leafs get good again, whichever comes first.
Outside of the Stanley Cup games, this is the game of a lifetime for me. Can't wait!

[Red Wings Addict]

When it comes to hockey, I'm pretty superstitious. Check out this weird pattern:

2008 WC: Pittsburgh at Buffalo, Pittsburgh wins the cup the next year
2009 WC: Detroit at Chicago, Chicago wins the cup the next year
2010 WC: Philadelphia at Boston, Boston wins the cup the next year

2011 WC: Washington at Pittsburgh
this is probably the least likely year it will happen, but its an interesting pattern for sure

The Winter Classic winners from '08 - '10 also lost in the Stanley Cup Finals the years they won the WC.

I never count out Pittsburgh no matter what. If Crosby doesn't come back and Malkin falters then I'm sure some secret society will ensure they get into the playoffs. From then on out they can do some damage with their experience. Plus I can't count out Ovechkin. I just can't.

[Kira]

I didn't think my dear hubby could surprise me after 34 years, but damned if he didn't. He walked into the room the other day and said, "I've been looking online for ticket information and handicapped facilities at the Big House." My jaw hit the floor - this from a guy who has never been much of a hockey fan - and he's serious about this! My God, I may just get the chance of a lifetime!

This is why I stay married to the sweetheart.

[auxlepli]

Although I'm kind of disappointed that the game won't be hosted in Detroit, I'm excited that we get a Winter Classic. I will be going, money is no object!!!

I am very disappointed Detroit isn't hosting the Winter Classic.
Yet I understand 110,000 fans is hard to pass up. If any two fan bases can fill it up it'll be the Wings and the Leafs.
That matchup is hard to deny - great rivalry and great organizations.

As for sight lines, I've always thought the NHL could align an outdoor rink along one of the baselines. But I've heard few complaints, nationally, about any of the Winter Classics.

Anyway, within 30 minutes of the announcement I had my hotel reservations made. Had to pay for a deposit too. That's a telltale sign, but I asked any way. The receptionist said it was for New Years, hesitated then said it was for the Winter Classic too. So the stories that came out later that said it wasn't a done deal, yeah right.

[Hockeymom1960]

Ok, and I also send a tweet to Alyonka Larionov and asked if she thinks the Professor would play in the alumni game:




She KNOWS me now. Swoooooon.

Alyonka is awesome! If you tweet her a question, she always tries to answer it.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros]

Alyonka is awesome! If you tweet her a question, she always tries to answer it.

Does Alyonka have a Facebook?

[Datsyuk4Life]

Seeing this already gets me excited for Wings/Leafs 24/7!

[_Kabrok_]

St Louis, Weather


The game was played on January 2nd. The temperature in St. Louis that day? 55.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

January 1, 2011? 64 degrees.
January 1, 2010. 37 degrees.
January 1, 2009. 43 degrees.
January 1, 2008. 35 degrees.

In Detroit, the temp was above 35 only once in those years.

As you've said, they have the ability to keep ice frozen above freezing temperatures, but it doesn't really feel like the Winter Classic if it's 50 degrees out.

And since you've stated you're not lobbying to get the game at St. Louis, I'll leave it alone.

To play Devil's Advocate, Calgary has some of the most unreliable winter weather you can possibly experience. I was there over christmas and all December the temperature was about 10-12 degrees Celcius (The same thing happened during the 88 Olympics, actually). A few weeks ago it plummeted down to -30. They lucked out weather-wise for the Heritage Classic a few years ago but clearly the very plausible risk of chinook-induced warm weather on the ice surface was not significant enough for them to consider hosting it somewhere else. Precipitation seems to be a more detrimental element then just temperature - as the extremely poor ice quality on Heinz Field attests to. <br>

Edited by _Kabrok_, 24 January 2012 - 09:23 AM.

[Red Wings Addict]

I hope this winter classic game influences Nick Lidstrom to come back for one more year.

[Datsyuk4Life]

<P>Im excited to see the red wings in 24/7 road to the winter classic.</P>

Edited by Datsyuk4Life, 24 January 2012 - 11:30 PM.

[Nightfall]

Am I the only one concerned about the expiration of the CBA? The winter classic and 24/7 I am geeked about as well, but this whole CBA deal is just making me a little nervous.

Edited by Nightfall, 24 January 2012 - 11:33 PM.