Outdoor NHL Hockey; The Winter Classic: Sabres vs. Penguins

It was history in the making on January 1 as the Buffalo Sabres took on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first outdoor NHL game ever to be held in the United States. Outdoor games have previously been played in Canada, but this was the first to be played on American soil. While the game itself was a momentous occasion, there are many questions that surround it. Is this something that the NHL will do on a regular basis? Was this a one time gimmick purely for publicity purposes? Should outdoor NHL games even be played?

Personally I believe that the idea of an outdoor NHL game is fantastic, but the reality of it is less than that. People have varying opinions on why Buffalo, NY was picked as the place for this historical match, but I'm under the assumption that the two main reasons were the sheer size of Ralph Wilson Stadium, which under normal football circumstances can hold close to 80,000 fans, and because of the weather. Because lets face it, to have a hockey game outdoors, it has to be cold.

While the weather could have been better, I think that the NHL was actually hoping for temperatures that were even worse. The temperature hovered right around freezing, and with the wind chill, was less than that, but there were still multiple problems with the ice; on several occasions the game had to be stopped so that holes could be patched. The snow didn't help much either, it created a slushy surface that was hard to skate on and made passing and puck handling very difficult.

I have to admit that it was almost amusing to see professional hockey players having a tough time on the ice, while all the interviews before the game consisted of nostalgic shout outs to the origins of hockey, which were uneven backyard and playground rinks. Its interesting to see how players get used to the prime conditions afforded to them via indoor rinks, and how it can be hard, and can take time (for the Sabres it took an entire period) to change up play and take advantage of the conditions instead of fighting against them.

I believe that outdoor games could realistically become a part of the NHL, but location and time of year are going to have to be chosen very carefully. Another question that begs to be asked is, If you have a game or games every year, there are only so many places that can handle an outdoor rink, so what happens when there are no cities left to be played in? Is it fair to let only cold weather cities enjoy an outdoor experience? Or will outdoor games become like the super bowl, when two teams play in a stadium that neither are affiliated with?

I'm a fan of outdoor games because of the 'old time hockey' aspect, but truth be told, with all the ice problems and the constant commentary and commercial breaks, the game was very choppy and very long; something that had to be frustrating for the teams and the fans alike. I like my hockey fast paced, something that this game was not. So I believe that while this game was more or less a publicity driven game, it was still a fun experience and can very well lead to the implementation of outdoor games into seasons to come.