Is the NHL's heart not in the Winter Classic this year?

[hisgirlfriday]

Or are the Capitals just not putting much effort in hosting it?

I will say I have no complaints as far as the Epix show in the run-up to the game even if it is a little different than the HBO version.

And I understand DC cannot control the fact we will not get an awesome snowglobe effect this year or that their venue lacks the history of other past choices. And I give credit that the ice mall to skate out on the rink looks neat.

But why is there no alumni game this year? The Leafs/Wings alumni contest last year was awesome even as a person whose team wasn't in it.

Then I saw on twitter there's apparently some vip/media game today but can't tell it was streamed and no one was in the stands for it as far as I can tell. Also can't find a list of who was even in it. Just passing twitter mentions from a us congressman, an actor, and a guitarist.

If this the NHL dropping the ball or the Caps?

And as someone whose a huge fan of the outdoor games it bums me out that the effort doesn't seem to be there to try to make this one special. Maybe it all comes down to the weird team selection?

Click to read more...

 

[txpd]

I think the world is busier right now. to be honest. The Caps annually are honored by the league for their game production and their cutting edge promotion. I'd be surprised if its the Caps putting a lackluster effort in.

It might be that a Hawks v Caps game is in itself kind of a ho hum thing?

 

[gudzilla]

too many outdoor games recently ruined it

 

[1989]

I could be wrong about how the selection process works, but I believe the event as a whole is basically on the shoulders of the host team's ownership.
I feel like the NHL submits a standard guideline for production quality and required events and as long as the team follows even the bare minimum, there is no responsibility past that to add events such as an alumni game or whatever.

 

[RussianRifle27]

The million outdoor games last year killed the allure of any future games.

 

[txpd]

The Capitals are not a draw right now. Lets be honest. They missed the playoffs last year amid brutal league wide flogging of the Caps big draw, Ov. Someone said he ranks 41st in all star votes. People outside of Washington give a rats you know what about the Caps.

This isn't Caps Pens. Its Caps Hawks. Its a how cares game.

and that the WC isn't a once a year event anymore doesn't really help.

edit: I am traveling this holiday season. I don't have time and so don't care about watching the stream on building the rink and the other things.

one last point. security for a game like this in Washington particularly after the Boston Marathon bombing is an issue. Might be they have been adviced to keep activities in mind.

 

[CH25]

There is no novelty in it anymore because there has been so many in recent years. 1 per year was enough.

 

[Warden of the North]

Theres absolutely no history to the teams involved. Its not snowy.

Detroit set the bar high last year with the whole "Winter Classic" village type thing going on with all the various games and activities involved. It snowed gently throughout the whole game. Two classic O6 rivals.

 

[CaptainBenn]

it should be done once every two years...

 

[Ogopogo*]

There have been so many of these things - other than those who are actually going to attend the game - does anyone really give a **** anymore? Same old, same old.

 

[boredmale]

I personally think they should save outdoor games for the All Star Game(basically do a gimmicky thing in a gimmicky game)

 

[Stephen]

There's nothing particularly classic about the Washington Capitals now that they're no longer a marquee team. The Winter Classic feels like an artificial creation to make hockey feel like an old timey college football game from some Norman Rockwell past that never was.

 

[nthill93]

Is there really a big rivalry between the two teams? I truthfully don't follow either but I don't see much rivalry here

 

[FloridaCap]

Stadium Series ruined the Winter Classic. Take away the uniqueness of the outdoor setting and what's left? Just a regular hockey game.

 

[Samkow]

They got Billy ****ing Idol as the headlining act so I doubt it.

 

[Riddum]

too many outdoor games recently ruined it

The stadium series was a strong case of over-saturation.

 

[FloridaCap]

Is there really a big rivalry between the two teams? I truthfully don't follow either but I don't see much rivalry here

Not a rivalry at all. I'm guessing they picked the Hawks just for the large fan base and household names.

 

[Warden of the North]

Stadium Series ruined the Winter Classic. Take away the uniqueness of the outdoor setting and what's left? Just a regular hockey game.

I disagree. Not being "wintery" and absolutely no meaningful history between the teams involved ruined the Winter Classic.

If it was Boston-Montreal you bet it would be exciting.

 

[Frenchy]

too many outdoor games recently ruined it

The million outdoor games last year killed the allure of any future games.

There is no novelty in it anymore because there has been so many in recent years. 1 per year was enough.

This ^

as far as i'm concerned we saw too many games recently and it's not a special event for me anymore . It's like eating your favorite meal 7 days a week , sooner or later you wont want to eat it anymore .

 

[tarheelhockey]

The Stadium Series was a huge mistake.

TBH I think last year's game could have been the shark-jump, but they went all out and held the staleness off till year. But now it's catching up... there are a bunch of teams who have done this more than once, and literally half the league will have hosted one by the end of this season.

If there had been no Stadium Series, even in a weak year you'd still have a bunch of fans being jealous of the opportunity and fantasizing about getting that once-in-a-decade-at-best opportunity to host a game. Now, just about everyone has done it and the few that haven't are the ones with small fanbases who should understand it just won't happen. So there's a lot less of a market for this than there was just a few years ago.

The worst part is that everyone saw this coming when they started talking about doing multiple games a year. It was such an obviously short-sighted idea, and here we are with the results.

 

[johan f]

I am puzzled by the fact tv-team does not make any more of the time they spend with players. It's dull plain and simple. One can't blame the players...it's up to the producers and guys around the camera to come up with ideas and encourage the shy athletes.

 

[Terry Yake]

like everyone else has said, outdoor games just aren't that big of a deal like they used to be

the stadium series did a lot to make that happen. big mistake

 

[Warden of the North]

The Stadium Series was a huge mistake.

TBH I think last year's game could have been the shark-jump, but they went all out and held the staleness off till year. But now it's catching up... there are a bunch of teams who have done this more than once, and literally half the league will have hosted one by the end of this season.

If there had been no Stadium Series, even in a weak year you'd still have a bunch of fans being jealous of the opportunity and fantasizing about getting that once-in-a-decade-at-best opportunity to host a game. Now, just about everyone has done it and the few that haven't are the ones with small fanbases who should understand it just won't happen. So there's a lot less of a market for this than there was just a few years ago.

The worst part is that everyone saw this coming when they started talking about doing multiple games a year. It was such an obviously short-sighted idea, and here we are with the results.

Really, this game should be a Stadium Series game. Save the "Winter Classic" for teams which play in snowy environments and more importantly, have meaningful history.

 

[Garbage Goal]

I disagree. Not being "wintery" and absolutely no meaningful history between the teams involved ruined the Winter Classic.

If it was Boston-Montreal you bet it would be exciting.

You're both. Making it a random Chicago-Washington matchup makes no sense and takes out the intensity and passion, having a bunch of Stadium Series games turns it from something unique and low in supply to over-saturated and feels much more pedestrian.

 

[Garbage Goal]

The Stadium Series was a huge mistake.

TBH I think last year's game could have been the shark-jump, but they went all out and held the staleness off till year. But now it's catching up... there are a bunch of teams who have done this more than once, and literally half the league will have hosted one by the end of this season.

If there had been no Stadium Series, even in a weak year you'd still have a bunch of fans being jealous of the opportunity and fantasizing about getting that once-in-a-decade-at-best opportunity to host a game. Now, just about everyone has done it and the few that haven't are the ones with small fanbases who should understand it just won't happen. So there's a lot less of a market for this than there was just a few years ago.

The worst part is that everyone saw this coming when they started talking about doing multiple games a year. It was such an obviously short-sighted idea, and here we are with the results.

It annoys me when something is so obvious to just regular fans on the internet but the league execs don't see it or ignore it and go ahead anyway.