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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

Game-wise, the Red Wings-Blackhawks game was best. Spectacle-wise, the Sabres-Penguins was best. Dog and pony show-wise, this last one was best.

They need to play in another football stadium to maximize the potential. Better sightlines, bigger spectacle, the tailgating festivities, much bigger attendance, etc etc

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mechaphil

Any game on national broadcast TV is a good game for the NHL.

The game itself was mildly entertaining. Nothing can beat the game at the Ralph for me though.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

As a whole, the event is a win for the league. I haven't been to one so I don't know what the NHL does pre-game to bring the masses....song and dance stuff like concerts, NHL experience events, etc. I hope the make it more of a show than just the game.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

There is probably going to be two of these outdoor games next year so it will be a full day of hockey I would guess.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

If they really want to have an insane spectacle, they need to put the game in Canada.
Too bad NBC doesn't care about ratings in Canada.

I firmly believe Bettman would put the damn thing in the desert if he could.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

To Bettman ice and desert just seem to go together.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

football stadiums are all pretty much the same. they dont have the charm of baseball stadiums. thats why i would keep them away from football stadiums as much as possible.

this game was the best. easily. the crowds were very into it, and philly was very well represented. they transformed the most magical sporting venue still in operation into something even bigger. to me, i doubt any future games will match this one. my guess is yankee stadium gets the next one, deservedly so.

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Better than last years game, but not nearly as good as ours.

mothah fuckahs


and they are going to break this record too!

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I thought it was alright. Certainly the ice quality continues to improve. If you think it was better than hawks-wings though you need to watch that game again. It was spectacular.

My Two Cents:

Keep it in markets that care. Buffalo, Minnesota, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. None of this NYC/NJ bullshit, their fans just suck. Keep bringing teams that continually draw fans. We don't need to see the caps where their most diehard fans have only supported the team for the past three years. Do not bring a southern team because none of their fans will travel, unless you're in Buffalo or Minnesota because those games would sell out regardless.

Let's just get rid of the baseball stadiums please. For several reasons.
Football stadiums are bigger and seat more fans. If you keep the classic in the best markets, selling out won't be an issue.

Baseball has shown itself to be a dying sport where those in charge are unwilling to make the changes necessary to improve the game (hello instant replay, not scheduling playoff games late, steroids testing, and HD video boards). Let's just keep our distance.

Baseball fans are the least passionate as a whole of any major sport in North America. Again, let's keep our distance.

In addition to having better sight lines, football stadiums tend to have better video equipment (HD scoreboards for replays) than baseball stadiums. Since hockey is a sport that benefits greatly from showing replays, and the fans are further from the ice than usual, this is fairly important.

Football and hockey are both physical sports. Baseball is not.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

look. no one knows, or cares about ralph wilson stadium. but EVERYONE knows what fenway is. or wrigley. football stadiums are boring. the buffalo classic was awesome, but if it wasnt everyone who is here favourite team involved, it would easily be the worst. no character. at all. thats why i hate football stadiums. there is no character to those stadiums. but wrigley? fenway? i mean, holy shit. the game looks so much cooler, so much more fun when placed in a baseball diamond.

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Until a more back and forth game comes along, the 'Hawks-Red Wings game is the best on-ice Classic yet. But nothing can match the magic of that snowy New Year's Day in Orchard Park.

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mechaphil

also, dont forget this years frozen four is taking place in a football stadium. boring.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

soldier field has been completely rebuilt... its a fucking disaster.

heres my list of possibilities for next year. in MY order.

1. target field -- minneapolis
2. citi field -- new york
3. heinze field/pnc park -- pittsburgh
4. that canal in ottawa -- ottawa
5. nationals park -- washington dc
6. comerica park -- detroit
7. yankee stadium -- new york

and, heres a thought... we all know jerry jones is a showboat with deep pockets. dallas gets kinda cold. i could see him throwing dollars around to show off his brand new cowboys stadium. not saying i want it, but it could happen.

coors field in denver would be bitchin too. or invesco field at mile high in denver too.

rodgers centre in toronto COULD work, but that place flat out sucks.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

eh, if they can hold in a game in las vegas, the winter classic could be an outlet for bettman to "grow the game"

id really like to see minnesota get it, and detroit. comerica park!

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One in Denver would be cool I think though the best rival for them would be Detroit and they already appeared in one/