For so much of his hockey development years, Luke Glendening appeared to be someone on the outside looking in when it came to living the NHL dream.
Curious, isn’t it then, that the Detroit Red Wings center has gone on to play more outdoor games than any player in hockey history.
Sunday’s Centennial Classic game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at BMO Field will be the seventh outdoor game of Glendening’s career and his third with the Red Wings.
“I never thought I’d play in one, so to have the chance to play in seven is pretty special,… said Glendening, who insists lacing them up and skating outside hasn’t grown the least bit old for him.
“It’s a huge deal,… Glendening said. “You always want them to keep going. You want more and more of them, so you have to enjoy every moment that you’re out there.
“You don’t get many of them, so just enjoy it.…
Well, you don’t get many of them unless you are Glendening, who seems to make it almost an annual event.
His first taste of the great outdoors came with the Michigan Wolverines, a team Glendening made as a walk-on and ended up serving as team captain.
Glendening’s odyssey started on Feb. 6, 2010, as Wolverines fell 3-2 to the Wisconsin Badgers before 55,031 at Camp Randall Stadium.
Glendening recalled the frosty temperatures that day far more than the frosty reception Michigan got from the Wisconsin faithful.
“Yeah, it was freezing and (Michigan) coach (Red) Berenson didn’t wear a coat for the first period,… Glendening said. “I think he was sick for three weeks afterward. “We were all like, ‘This guy’s crazy.’…
The Wolverines played host to the Michigan State Spartans on Dec. 11, 2010, whipping them 5-0 before a then world-record crowd of 113,411.
His third outdoor tilt with the Wolverines came Jan. 15, 2012 at Progressive Field, a 4-1 win over Ohio State in front of 25,624.
Turning pro, Glendening was undrafted and signed as a free agent with Detroit’s AHL farm club in Grand Rapids. On Dec. 30, 2013, he played for the Griffins before 20,033 at Comerica Park in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Marlies, part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival.
Driving home from the game, Glendening got a call to report to the parent Red Wings in time for the Jan. 1, 2014 Winter Classic against the Leafs. He suited up as the Wings fell 3-2 in a shootout with 104,173 watching.
Last season, he was back out there again when the Wings toppled the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 on Feb. 27, 2016 in a Stadium Series game at Coors Field that was witnessed by 50,095.
“They’ve all been different weather,… Glendening said. “We were playing in 70-degrees last year. We’ve have snow, we’ve had everything.
“It was great yesterday so we’ll see what it’s like tomorrow.…
Like a mother discussing her children, don’t even try to get Glendening to admit which outdoor game was his favorite.
“I think every single one is different and I remember each and every one for something different,… Glendening said. “Playing at Big House (Michigan Stadium) was pretty special.
“They’re all unique and they all have their little intricacies, which makes them fun.…
Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer