2012 Winter Classic: Flyers vs Rangers?

[Phil The Thrill]

An NHL source on Thursday night said the league would announce later this month that the Flyers will host the New York Rangers in the Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park on Jan. 2, 2012.

Peter Luukko, president of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, said he was waiting for confirmation from the league.

A league source, however, said that the matchup would happen, and that it would be played on Jan. 2 because the NHL does not want to go head-to-head with NFL games on Jan. 1, including an Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Flyers were in the Winter Classic at Boston's Fenway Park on Jan. 1, 2010.

http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-13/sports/29540439_1_flyers-rangers-winter-classic-peter-luukko

Don't know the credibility of the site.

 

[Mr.Baller]

Don't really care about these two teams .. A crazy winter classic game would be habs vs leafs

 

[Phil The Thrill]

That's what I'm hoping for. Possibly the Heritage Classic.

 

[Mooche]

Canadiens vs. Leafs would be tight as hell.

Let's get that done.

 

[The Guid]

As great as that would be for Canada, and interesting for hardcore American hockey fans, that just won't happen. At least there's no way they agree to show an all-Canadian Winter Classic. One team? Maybe.

 

[Rios15]

Why not? It's the biggest rivalry in hockey and I'm sure it would make a lot of money.

 

[The Guid]

Maybe to you, but I don't consider it the biggest rivalry in hockey

But, regardless, NBC/Versus is an American broadcast station company. There's no way, at least not while they are still trying to attract American viewers, that they show an all-Canadian Winter Classic. Again, I'd watch it. But I'm not a casual hockey fan. Their interest is solely in making money and to do that they'll have to attract the casual hockey fans too. That's not going to happen here with Habs/Leafs.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

That's why I said they would be better for a Heritage Classic. A good Winter Classic could be the Islanders or Rangers or something.

And in your opinion what is the biggest rivalry?

 

[The Guid]

I don't think it's as black and white as something like the MLB with Sox/Yankees. In the NHL I think there's a few that are great, especially among the Original 6.

 

[Phil The Thrill]

The rivalry has gone down a lot recently with the Leafs not being consistently in the playoffs like before the lockout. Similar to how the intensity of the Battle of Ontario has gone down. If the Leafs and Habs both are in the playoffs, this rivalry could be renewed.

 

[Rios15]

You could see the intensity in playoff games. The fans at the games really get involved too with different chants. Watching it on Hockey Night in Canada on a Saturday night is like nothing else!

 

[STLZACH]

St. Louis and Minnesota at Busch Stadium IMO

 

[Yankees2772]

St. Louis and Minnesota at Busch Stadium IMO

lmao... if people think that Flyers vs Rangers is uninteresting, what do you call St. Louis vs Minny?

 

[footballplaya52]

i understand the money thing but its fuckin ridiculous for the NHL and NBC to not have a Canadian Winter Classic.

 

[The Guid]

It's not just about money, it's about getting interest here (though the two are connected). Like I said, not going to get that right now with 2 Canadian teams.

And to Yanks point, I think Flyers/Rangers is interesting but the Flyers were just in one two years ago. I disagreed with Pittsburgh being back in one only two years later and it's the same situation here.

 

[Rice18]

St. Louis and Minnesota at Busch Stadium IMO

smart man

 

[footballplaya52]

they should just have a canadian classic and a winter classic

 

[Yankees2772]

The whole point of the classic is to generate interest from people who normally don't care, and to build recognition for the NHL. What would a Canadian Classicc do?

 

[footballplaya52]

The whole point of the classic is to generate interest from people who normally don't care, and to build recognition for the NHL. What would a Canadian Classicc do?

it would be for all the fans in canada to see an outdoor game with teams they like. you know, the country that invented hockey.

 

[The Guid]

Is that not what the Heritage Classic is?