As a Hockey Fan I Only want to see one Winter Classic, Last Year's matchup was very intruiging Leafs-Wings THATS what I want to see ONE game. and THATS the game even tho I freaking HATE the Wings

how many winter classics do the pens get to play in?
- Mentalorgasm5

WE ALL LOVE SIDNEY at least that's what NBC thinks.

The WC is nothing but a money grabbing spectacle at this point. Ridiculous that so many are being put on yearly. Are they exciting to watch? Sure. But so is any NHL game. It shouldn't be exciting. It should be breath taking. It should be awesome. When the WC ends we should sit there and go man I cannot wait til next year. Now it's more like well... another one next week.

Also, let's be real. Teams like Florida, Carolina, Nashville.. we won't ever play in one. I'd like to see Colorado take on Detroit.

WE ALL LOVE SIDNEY
- Beaver-Warrior at least that's what NBC thinks.

I think it's going to change to the Pittsburgh classic just the A squad vs the B squad. No other teams needed Just not stop Pens every year. That's what everyone wants right?

Eklund: The 2015 Winter Classic will be in DC. Caps vs Penguins 2 or Caps vs Habs!
- Eklund

how many winter classics do the pens get to play in?
- Mentalorgasm5

Truthfully the nhl does the smart thing with that. Not just because I'm a pens fan but more people tune in to see the big names and the penguins have them. If the NBA had anything like it Lebron would be involved in the game more than anyone else.

Truthfully the nhl does the smart thing with that. Not just because I'm a pens fan but more people tune in to see the big names and the penguins have them. If the NBA had anything like it Lebron would be involved in the game more than anyone else.
- Genev21

But it's boring now. No one outside of Pittsburgh cares about Crosby or Malkin anymore. Screw the NBA. The only reason people watch that crap is because those guys cry to each other on twitter and say stupid things during their interviews. People laugh at them.

Wow. Still so much crying going on when it's pure speculation on Eklund's part that Pittsburgh will even be involved. Way to stay informed chumps!

Wow. Still so much crying going on when it's pure speculation on Eklund's part that Pittsburgh will even be involved. Way to stay informed chumps!
- Kineada

Pure speculation? Are you saying that Eklund doesn't have a clue as to what he's saying? its not nice to be so truthful

Pure speculation? Are you saying that Eklund doesn't have a clue as to what he's saying? its not nice to be so truthful
- annoyance_101

Sorry. I guess I'm just a mean old cuss.

Eklund: The 2015 Winter Classic will be in DC. Caps vs Penguins 2 or Caps vs Habs!
- Eklund

You would think that as the season gets closer and closer there might be some rumours...not on this site I guess.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that even though I'd love to go to that game if it were the Pens I hope it isn't

I honestly wouldn't care if they had an unconventional matchup.

I'd really like to see some other teams get a crack at it. Edmonton, St. Louis, Minnesota, Columbus, Winnipeg or even Stars. Open it up a bit. Any team but one from the Met division automatically gets consideration. Start with Winnipeg.
- HopintheCordoba

I'd like to see Minne/Winnipeg. Minne/Dallas would be interesting. Former Minne team vs Current Minne team??!!

Either way, at some point the NHL needs to start getting teams from the West involved. Plenty of interest from anywhere in the West. The NHL knows they're going to get pretty much the same network viewership no matter who is playing. Even if they go to some of the less popular or less conventional markets, they're going to not only get the same interest from current fans, but possibly even drum up new interest from venues in non-traditional markets.

I myself have scoffed a bit at the idea of a warm climate venue like Vegas or California, but I think a game in either one of those venues would garner more viewers just purely out of curiosity if nothing else. To see an outdoor ice hockey game in an otherwise unorthodox weather climate would be interesting if nothing else.

Whatever they do in the future, they need to at the very least freshen up the list of teams being considered...

You would think that as the season gets closer and closer there might be some rumours...not on this site I guess.
- whipper334

But it's boring now. No one outside of Pittsburgh cares about Crosby or Malkin anymore. Screw the NBA. The only reason people watch that crap is because those guys cry to each other on twitter and say stupid things during their interviews. People laugh at them.
- Panthers88

I guarantee the NHL gets higher ratings when Crosby plays. The winter classic is different from other games because people that aren't frequent watchers will still watch it and people that aren't frequent watchers want to see people they know and for many of them that means 1. Crosby or 2. Ovechkin. I would rather not have the pens in a winter classic either it really only affects me in they play in Pittsburgh, which still should happen PNC Park is the best in the biz back to the main point though, the NHL knows frequent watchers are going to watch regardless so they are just trying to get the people that don't watch to tune in with big names.

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Matt Read to a four-year, $14.5 million contract extension. The deal has an average annual value of $3.625 million, and kicks in for the 2014-15 campaign.

I'd like to see Minne/Winnipeg. Minne/Dallas would be interesting. Former Minne team vs Current Minne team??!!

Either way, at some point the NHL needs to start getting teams from the West involved. Plenty of interest from anywhere in the West. The NHL knows they're going to get pretty much the same network viewership no matter who is playing. Even if they go to some of the less popular or less conventional markets, they're going to not only get the same interest from current fans, but possibly even drum up new interest from venues in non-traditional markets.

I myself have scoffed a bit at the idea of a warm climate venue like Vegas or California, but I think a game in either one of those venues would garner more viewers just purely out of curiosity if nothing else. To see an outdoor ice hockey game in an otherwise unorthodox weather climate would be interesting if nothing else.

Whatever they do in the future, they need to at the very least freshen up the list of teams being considered...
- MnGump

I'd like to see a Minnesota LA match up in Minnesota. Strong U.S. star power from both teams which could be marketed well, and the NHL still gets to have one of the largest markets involved.

Sure the outdoor game is getting pimped out to the point where it's not special as a national tv event, no question there. Someone like me who is a hardcore hockey fan is going to watch the Leafs one and I guarantee I won't see the other ones. But that's not really what it's about, it's about the actual live event for the NHL and all the local money they'll make that way. And each game likely will have higher ratings than if that game were just another regular season game. It's like a touring theatre thing at this point. It's like UFC live events, of course they'll have a bunch of them.

I'm not really upset by it losing its specialness or whatever. If there is one in your area with your team or your team is on tv in an outdoor game, go in person or watch it on tv. It'll be different and interesting. If they want to do a bunch of them go ahead, more fun for the people in those cities. In fact it's more true to the roots of hockey and the spirit of the outdoor game to do a bunch of them, keeps people getting outside a lot more that winter.

Sure the indoor game is getting pimped out to the point where it's not special as a national tv event, no question there. Someone like me who is a hardcore hockey fan is going to watch the Leafs one and I guarantee I won't see the other ones. But that's not really what it's about, it's about the actual live event for the NHL and all the local money they'll make that way. And each game likely will have higher ratings than if that game were just another regular season game. It's like a touring theatre thing at this point. It's like UFC live events, of course they'll have a bunch of them.

I'm not really upset by it losing its specialness or whatever. If there is one in your area with your team or your team is on tv in an outdoor game, go in person or watch it on tv. It'll be different and interesting. If they want to do a bunch of them go ahead, more fun for the people in those cities. In fact it's more true to the roots of hockey and the spirit of the outdoor game to do a bunch of them, keeps people getting outside a lot more that winter.
- Zezel

so is that a "tuck" or "no tuck"?

so is that a "tuck" or "no tuck"?
- Flyfreaky

Rub 'n' Tuck

I've been hearing that from my sources for some time too, Ek. It's nice that we can finally go on the record now that it's been reported by the Washington Post, right?

I've been hearing that from my sources for some time too, Ek. It's nice that we can finally go on the record now that it's been reported by the Washington Post, right?
- Jeffmt

no paper named the Washington Post could ever tell a lie

Ian?

I'm a penguins fan, and I'm sick of them having to play in gimmicky games with poopty ice condition. Ugh....

I'm a penguins fan, and I'm sick of them having to play in gimmicky games with poopty ice condition. Ugh....
- Egleg

What did being a penguins fan have to do with that?

1) If people dont want to see the same teams all the time, why am I always seeing Boston, NY Rangers, Philly, and Detroit on TV every time I turn it on?
2) I dont think People in Pittsburgh want another road game. If they go to DC in 2015, that would be 3 road outdoors, 1 at home. And surely they cant play in it every year, so when would they get another home opportunity?
3) The NHL wants to put their STARS on display and capitalize markets that have shown they support hockey. Thats why you see Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Washington, (Ugh) Philly in these games. Repeatedly.
4) Why cant we see Montreal vs Toronto in a Winter Classic? OF course its because American Sponsors want American teams in to drive American NBC TV Ratings. But for a true Hockey fan, Leafs and Habs sure sounds nice