The Montreal Canadien's will reprise the role, as visitor to the west, they first played in November of 2003 in Edmonton. That is, they will pending the approval of the NHL competition committee.
This smacks a little of the NHL's tendency to kill whatever golden goose they manage to find. The Winter Classic on New Year's day has proven very popular. The 2009 outdoor game even managed to produce some exciting hockey when the Red Wings and Blackhawks met at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
However, they've left the January 1 date alone. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will host Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The Flames and Canadiens will meet at McMahon stadium February 20, 2011.
The Heritage Classic has been resurrected not to dilute the outdoor hockey product, but as a sop to the Canadian fan who feels they don't get equal billing from Bettman and the NHL. The Canadiens and the Flames obviously don't need some sort of outdoor spectacle to b ...
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Article written by Scott Weldon