It certainly seems as if the National Hockey League hasn't made the most enviable decisions lately.
The majority of hockey media coverage has surrounded the ongoing dramatics between the Phoenix Coyotes and the league - because the Coyotes can't find suitable ownership after the last ownership group filed for bankruptcy.
But one thing the NHL has done well is expand its horizons, dating back to the expansion binge of the 1990s, geared toward bringing hockey to new markets (mainly the United States), and it ultimately succeeded.
Yet the NHL's biggest success of our generation is the re-introduction of the outdoor game, in an arena where most professionals learned the game.
Many hockey fans will tell you that the NHL's first outdoor game was held in November 2003, when the Montreal Canadians and Edmonton Oilers met at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Being celebrated was the Oilers' 25th season in the NHL, and the 20th anniversary of their first Stanley Cup victory in 1984. The record-setting crowd of 57,167 braved temperatures as low as -22 degrees Farenheit under a wind chill, and 2.747 million Canadians tuned into Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)'s coverage.
So, the first outdoor hockey game? The Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, outside Caesar's Palace Las Vegas in 1991. If you're anything like me, I was astounded to discover this.
Thankfully, the league has delved deeper into researching potential outdoor game sites, and so far, it has not disappointed with the selected venues.
2008 - Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y. A record-setting crowd of 71,217 watched the Penguins defeat the hometown Sabres in a shootout, 2-1. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner against Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller, after the Sabres' Ales Kotalik tied the shootout.
2009 - Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill. Temperatures in the Windy City weren't as brutal as in Buffalo, but the two teams put on an offensive display this past New Year's Day. Detroit goalie Ty Conklin appeared in his second consecutive Winter Classic (in 2008 with Pittsburgh, getting the win), withstanding the Blackhawks for a 6-4 victory.
The NHL did well in picking not just marketable hockey teams to play in the New Year's Day event, but choosing venues and cities that truly embrace the sport. Buffalo fans are some of the most passionate and loyal in hockey, and the Blackhawks fans were awoken en masse thanks to a youthful rejuvenation led by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
In 2010, the league takes it up a notch. Again.
Wrigley Field is easily one of the country's most storied sports venues, but high up on that list is Fenway Park, which will host the 2010 Winter Classic. The Boston Bruins are the home squad, and they will face the rival Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 1.
The Bruin faithful are back in full force after a couple lean seasons, but an Eastern Conference regular-season title and hard-nosed, badass-filled team has put the Bruins back on the Boston sports map for good.
As for the Flyers, they have only added more grit this offseason, acquiring All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger from the Anaheim Ducks. The two teams paired together makes for a dynamic showdown in the land of the Green Monster, something that the league will benefit from.
Better yet, there are whispers of next year's event being played at Yankee Stadium, and the New York Rangers are believed to be matched up with the Washington Capitals.
Right now, the NHL is pushing the right buttons with the Winter Classic - they are picking entertaining teams that play appealing hockey, they are using world-class venues and catering to the game's best fans.
For a league that takes a lot of heat from media across North America, the positive steps cannot be overlooked. And they are starting coming in bunches.
2 Sports
Rob Mixer
