Winter Classic 3

[RadioGaGa 162]

The Hockey News.com

And much of the reason for that is the success of the Winter Classics the last two seasons in Buffalo and Chicago. The Winter Classic apparently has become something of a hot property and that alone could drive ratings enough to make picking up the NHL a profitable venture for a national network.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year’s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

The only question I have is that the WC seems geared to raise hockey's popularity (televised poplarity at least for a day) in the United States, so Montreal playing would be an interesting twist...

Montreal-Boston has been a great rivalry for years. Probably since the McLaren elbow on Zednik in the playoffsit's been getting more and more heated each year.

[interpathway 9]

No doubts on the rivalry for sure (I remember that hit, I think it was Zednik's first or second year after leaving D.C.), but Montreal already got their chance with the Heritage Classic! I guess it couldn't hurt the league to stick with two more Original 6 teams...

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

The Hockey News.com

And much of the reason for that is the success of the Winter Classics the last two seasons in Buffalo and Chicago. The Winter Classic apparently has become something of a hot property and that alone could drive ratings enough to make picking up the NHL a profitable venture for a national network.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year’s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

The only question I have is that the WC seems geared to raise hockey's popularity (televised poplarity at least for a day) in the United States, so Montreal playing would be an interesting twist...

Montreal-Boston has been a great rivalry for years. Probably since the McLaren elbow on Zednik in the playoffsit's been getting more and more heated each year.

sure it doesnt go back just a weeeeeee bit further than that?

Bruins/Habs would be a fantastic game to watch. As for increasing US popularity, wtf would buffalo do for that? Nobody except for buffalo fans care about them. Bruins and Habs are two historic franchises, it will be a great game if it's done.

[RadioGaGa 162]

The Hockey News.com

And much of the reason for that is the success of the Winter Classics the last two seasons in Buffalo and Chicago. The Winter Classic apparently has become something of a hot property and that alone could drive ratings enough to make picking up the NHL a profitable venture for a national network.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year’s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

The only question I have is that the WC seems geared to raise hockey's popularity (televised poplarity at least for a day) in the United States, so Montreal playing would be an interesting twist...

Montreal-Boston has been a great rivalry for years. Probably since the McLaren elbow on Zednik in the playoffsit's been getting more and more heated each year.

sure it doesnt go back just a weeeeeee bit further than that?

Bruins/Habs would be a fantastic game to watch. As for increasing US popularity, wtf would buffalo do for that? Nobody except for buffalo fans care about them. Bruins and Habs are two historic franchises, it will be a great game if it's done.

Obviously, yes it does....but the reference for most of the users here is not the 60's & 70's. The rivalry itself has always been good...but for many years the Habs & Bruins were not very good teams or contenders in the East...the re-birth of this rivalry and attention being paid to it comes with both teams rebuilding and meaning something outside of their respective cities again.

[kosydar 0]

The Hockey News.com

And much of the reason for that is the success of the Winter Classics the last two seasons in Buffalo and Chicago. The Winter Classic apparently has become something of a hot property and that alone could drive ratings enough to make picking up the NHL a profitable venture for a national network.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year’s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

The only question I have is that the WC seems geared to raise hockey's popularity (televised poplarity at least for a day) in the United States, so Montreal playing would be an interesting twist...

Montreal-Boston has been a great rivalry for years. Probably since the McLaren elbow on Zednik in the playoffsit's been getting more and more heated each year.

sure it doesnt go back just a weeeeeee bit further than that?

Bruins/Habs would be a fantastic game to watch. As for increasing US popularity, wtf would buffalo do for that? Nobody except for buffalo fans care about them. Bruins and Habs are two historic franchises, it will be a great game if it's done.

Two years ago Buffalo was the hot team in the NHL, like Pittsburgh was last year, and Chicago is this year.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

Obviously, yes it does....but the reference for most of the users here is not the 60's & 70's. The rivalry itself has always been good...but for many years the Habs & Bruins were not very good teams or contenders in the East...the re-birth of this rivalry and attention being paid to it comes with both teams rebuilding and meaning something outside of their respective cities again.

It was a tounge in cheek comment ;)

Two years ago Buffalo was the hot team in the NHL, like Pittsburgh was last year, and Chicago is this year.

from what i've seen in different markets, nobody really went out and bought Sabres jerseys. Buffalo will always be one of those sports markets that flash up and then die. I'd bet money that more people tuned into that winter classic to watch the first outside game, than they did to watch buffalo. Axe the novelty and newness of that game, and way fewer tune in. Granted Pens/crosby/malkin probably had a decent draw themselves.

[kosydar 0]

The fact that I saw multiple new Sabres shirts/hats/jerseys in my hockey retarded town speaks volumes about their new found popularity that year. Between Miller, Vanek, Roy, Drury and Briere, the NHL and the media were all on their nuts about how they were "the face of the new NHL". I don't doubt that more people turned in to watch the outdoor factor than Buffalo, but I'm sure a lot of people converted to them. What better way to promote the game of hockey than to get average Americans to watch a game because of a novelty factor and see the team that the NHL is drumming up. The NHL didn't need to put two big name teams in there. Non-hockey fans would watch because its an outdoor game and its something new and exciting. Hockey fans will watch it because its a big deal. I personally hate both of those teams and I watched the entire game.

[trevor13478 1]

If the NHL doesn't want to give the Canadiens another classic because of the Heritage Classic, Bruins-Rangers at Fenway would be an awesome idea as well. A bit of a sox-yankees metaphor game. I would much rather see a game at Fenway Park than Gillette Stadium, sure Gillette will seat a lot more people and has more modern facilities, but you cannot beat the charm of Fenway Park. Theres a reason the redsox still play in a hundred year old park

[interpathway 9]

A bit of a sox-yankees metaphor game.

A great selling point to US television audiences. We all know how much Yankee fans love anything and everything NY.

[cptjeff 0]

If the NHL doesn't want to give the Canadiens another classic because of the Heritage Classic, Bruins-Rangers at Fenway would be an awesome idea as well. A bit of a sox-yankees metaphor game. I would much rather see a game at Fenway Park than Gillette Stadium, sure Gillette will seat a lot more people and has more modern facilities, but you cannot beat the charm of Fenway Park. Theres a reason the redsox still play in a hundred year old park

If it's Rangers, it will be in NYC. Period. You would get a lot more media attention, a lot more ad revenue and sponsorships. Fenway will probalby happen at some point, but it won't be against the Rangers.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Obviously, yes it does....but the reference for most of the users here is not the 60's & 70's. The rivalry itself has always been good...but for many years the Habs & Bruins were not very good teams or contenders in the East...the re-birth of this rivalry and attention being paid to it comes with both teams rebuilding and meaning something outside of their respective cities again.

It was a tounge in cheek comment ;)

Two years ago Buffalo was the hot team in the NHL, like Pittsburgh was last year, and Chicago is this year.

from what i've seen in different markets, nobody really went out and bought Sabres jerseys. Buffalo will always be one of those sports markets that flash up and then die. I'd bet money that more people tuned into that winter classic to watch the first outside game, than they did to watch buffalo. Axe the novelty and newness of that game, and way fewer tune in. Granted Pens/crosby/malkin probably had a decent draw themselves.

i went out and bought sabres socks...does that count, lol

[Chadd 916]

Two years ago Buffalo was the hot team in the NHL, like Pittsburgh was last year, and Chicago is this year.

Buffalo and Pittsburgh are two of the best TV markets in the league.

[slacker76 3]

Pittsburgh vs. Philly @ Beaver Stadium would be sick!!! Hockey fans would meet in Happy Valley for what could be wild and crazy weekend. The rivalry is good and it's central location would benefit both squads faithful following. Not to mention it seats 100,000 people.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Pittsburgh vs. Philly @ Beaver Stadium would be sick!!! Hockey fans would meet in Happy Valley for what could be wild and crazy weekend. The rivalry is good and it's central location would benefit both squads faithful following. Not to mention it seats 100,000 people.

why give Pittsburgh another game when NYR, NYI, Boston, Minnesota, Colorado, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Calgary. Ottawa and Toronto could have one but haven't yet.