Let's Take It Outside

It's a tradition unlike any other in the world of sports. New Years Day, the NHL takes it outside. The Winter Classic outs the league on a new center stage. The venues and teams change every year, but the excitement is still the same. This year, the two newest expansion teams get the spotlight. 

From T-Mobile Park in Seattle, the Kraken will play host to the Vegas Golden Knights.

This marks the 9th time a baseball stadium will be holing the event. It follows Fenway Park (2023, 2010), Target Field (2022), Citi Field (2018), Busch Stadium (2017), Nationals Park (2015), Citizens Bank Park (2012), and Wrigley Field (2009).

We've seen in past years that a game like this works. The venues have been great and its been exciting hockey each and every time out. It all started with the Penguins and Sabres in 2008 and has grown since then In years past, you've had your big name teams play in the game. The Penguins, Rangers, Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings, have all played multiple games. Now in recent years we've started seeing newer teams and different markets play host to the event. Dallas has played in this game, so too has Nashville.

Now, with the two teams we got playing in this years contest make for an even more intriguing matchup. Both are the newest teams into the league, both trying to establish themselves around the sport. Oh and one of them happens to be the defending Stanley Cup Champions in Vegas.

For Vegas, a day like today is a showcase to remind everybody why they were the best team in hockey a season ago. For Seattle, this is a proving ground game. They are only in their 3rd year in the league. Its a showcase that hockey is starting to really thrive in the great Northweast. Its proving that hockey is working in not so traditional markets like Vegas and Seattle. Its going to be a great show for the game of hockey and they get put in the spotlight!