Tuesday: Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on SiriusXM NHL Radio this morning that the game will indeed be in Dallas and will be held at the Cotton Bowl.
Monday: There hasn’t been much to cheer about in Dallas over the last few days as the fallout from Stars CEO Jim Lites’ expletive-laden rampage continues to drop. Tomorrow there will be something to distract from the recent controversy, as John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that the league will announce that Dallas will be the host of the 2020 Winter Classic outdoor game. Shannon does not know who the Stars will play in the game.
Playing an outdoor hockey game in Texas might seem like a stretch, but there are plenty of reasons for the NHL to attempt it. The league has been routinely criticized for putting the same handful of teams in the outdoor circuit, and branching out to a non-traditional market should reinvigorate the event. At times it seems as though the schedule has contained far too many outdoor games for the event to keep any of it’s original novelty, and though attendance stays strong interest has waned. Dallas, and perhaps another newcomer like the Vegas Golden Knights, would inject some excitement into the Winter Classic once again.
Even as the Stars face controversy from their own front office, the team sits in the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. That has come even with some apparently sub-par performances from their best players, meaning that next season could be much better. The forward group in Dallas is extremely lackluster, but with this event on the horizon a year from now perhaps they’ll be active players in free agency or through the trade market to provide an improved product for the fans in attendance. Regardless, outdoor hockey in Texas will certainly be an event to remember.
For the love of god just don’t make it against the Blackhawks
St Louis
Who is their rival? Maybe Detroit?I say Colorado or San Jose,former rivals, or a team that hasn’t been in an outdoor game say Arizona,Vegas,Dallas fans what do you say?
Blues
SC 1999 Stars vs. Sabres. Buffalo seeks revenge for Hull’s (non)goal. The nation gets to see a young exciting team.
With Arizona moving to the Central Division (or maybe even to Houston if any of those rumours are to be believed) after Seattle joins the league, they seem like a logical choice to me as the Stars dance partner here.
Good call,forgot about the Blues
Guys! You’re missing the OBVIOUS matchup: a quasi-intra-squad game of Dallas Stars vs the “team” of Jim Lites, Mike Keenan & Stan Bowman! Sure 5-on-3 “seems” a little unfair, but WTF? OK – add Ron Hextall in net… and throw in Todd Bertuzzi for light relief…
I can just hear “Razor”: “Oh, Goody! Prison Rules!”
Seems a little ridiculous to hand the game to the Knights. There are plenty of teams that haven’t had the opportunity to play in the Winter Classic, doesn’t seem right to me that Knights or future Seattle _______s as one above suggested should be handed the game.
The leauge loves Vegas so i wouldn’t be suprised if they get the game
Nice call kenleyfornia
I’m gonna say Colorado gets in,Dallas fans still hate them from the Claude Lemieux Days,then another time have Vegas play Arizona in a Sand box.
Well it won’t be Colorado,they are hosting a game in 2020. I think it’s time to throw Nashville a Bone,they’ve been one of the best teams in the past few years