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NHL Roundtable: Outdoor apathy; World Junior hype; multi-coach
Every Wednesday, a trio of SI.com staffers will sit down for a discussion of the hockey world's hot button issues. This week, Brian Cazenueve, Sarah Kwak and Al Muir palaver about Winter Classic boredom, a clash of titans at the World Junior Championship, and the Ghidorah approach to coaching in New Jersey.
First up:
#http://www.120sports.com/video/v105253442/winning-the-winter-classic
• There's a sense that apathy has overtaken anticipation of the Winter Classic. What will it take to restore the luster of the NHL's marquee regular season event?
SARAH KWAK:
the rink that Molson built for its recent "Anything For Hockey" campaign.
GALLERY: THE NHL OUTDOORS
The NHL Outdoors
Stadium Series 2016
Since the NHL staged its first Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2008 outdoor games have proved to be extremely popular with fans as well as players. Minnesota got its first on Feb. 21, 2016, a tilt against the Central Division rival Chicago Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
Stadium Series 2016
A boisterous crowd of 50,246 enjoyed relatively comfortable 36-degree weather and a romp by the hometown Wild.
Stadium Series 2016
Center Jason Pominville and his linemates Nino Niederreiter and Erik Haula had a big day, combining for three goals and eight points in Minnesota’s 6–1 rout. With a goal and two assists apiece, Pominville and Haula tied the NHL outdoor game scoring record held by seven other players.
Stadium Series 2016
A tough day for Niklas Hjalmarsson and the rest of the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, who were held at bay by Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (31 saves), who lost his shutout on a goal by Patrick Kane with 7:55 to go in the third period.
Winter Classic 2016
In 2016, the traditional New Year's Day event returned to Boston. Fenway Park hosted the Bruins and visiting Philadelphia Flyers in 2010. This time, the site was the more modern Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL's Patriots. The Bruins' foes were their traditional bitter rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.
Winter Classic 2016
There was a surprising warm, communal spirit to the day as nearly 70,000 Bruins and Canadiens fans gathered at Gillette Stadium, tailgating and partying from the early morning until the 1:30 p.m puck drop. The weather was reasonably mild (about 40 degrees) and the ice condition was excellent and fast.
Winter Classic 2016
Canadiens goalie Mike Condon (left) was the big story of the day. A Massachusetts native, he had the unenviable task of replacing the injured Carey Price while the Habs tried to crack his counterpart, Tuukka Rask in Boston's net. Both teams wore special throwback jerseys for the game.
Winter Classic 2016
The return of the injured Brendan Gallagher sparked Montreal's offense to an easy 5–1 win. Constant pressure on the Bruins and a goal off a batted puck enabled the Habs to open a 3-0 lead by the end of the second period. Boston drew within 3-1 on a Matt Beleskey tally at 3:36 of the third, but the game was never in doubt.
Winter Classic 2015
The 2015 edition was awarded to Nationals Park in Washington D.C. with the Capitals hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.
Winter Classic 2015
A crowd of 42,832 fans filled the park on a brilliant winter afternoon with a game time temperature of an almost balmy 44 degrees.
Winter Classic 2015
Ice conditions were very good. Despite concerns about dangerous sun glare, the game started on time, though the teams switched ends at the 10-minute mark of the first period.
Winter Classic 2015
After the Blackhawks tied the score at 2-2 in the second period, the game settled into a defensive battle. Winger Troy Brouwer would prove to be the man of the hour.
Winter Classic 2015
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin put Washington up 2-0 midway through the first period, but Chicago goalie Corey Crawford settled down and proved tough to beat after that.
Winter Classic 2015
With 12.9 seconds left in regulation, Troy Brouwer delivered the game-winning goal for the Capitals. The ending was even more special as Brouwer's father, who had been recovering from a stroke, attended the game—the first time he had seen his son play in Washington.
Stadium Series 2015
Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara hosted Northern California's first outdoor game, a clash between the local favorite San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 21, 2015.
Stadium Series 2015
A crowd of 70,205 looked on in 57-degree weather as the puck dropped on a game that had playoff implications for both teams. (Neither would qualify.)
Stadium Series 2015
Musical entertainment has been a staple at outdoor games. The Kings-Sharks tilt at Levi's Stadium featured former Creedence Clearwater Revival front man John Fogerty (seen here) as well as Melissa Etheridge.
Stadium Series 2015
The Kings prevailed, 2-1, on goals by Kyle Clifford and Marian Gaborik, who potted the game-winner at the 4:04 mark of the third period.
Stadium Series 2014
In 2014, the league pulled out all the stops and scheduled six of outdoor games. Four were part of a Stadium Series with one at Soldier Field in Chicago, one at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and two at New York's fabled Yankee Stadium.
Stadium Series 2014
The game at Soldier Field on March 1 drew a sellout crowd of 62,921 for the hometown Blackhawks' battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The fans didn't seem to mind the heavy snow, swirling wind, and 17-degree cold.
Stadium Series 2014
Snow accumulated quickly on the ice, turning the Chicago game into a glorified game of pond shinny. But there were no complaints, at least not from Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. "Probably the greatest setting you could want," he later said. "With how hard it was snowing it was like, 'Wow, these are amazing conditions. I think everybody went back to when they were kids." Added Hawks forward Patrick Sharp. "The ice was very good, but that first period it was tough to see and handle the puck. It really felt like a real outdoor game. There were no real systems or structure. We were just kind of hoisting the puck, slapping it around and having fun."
Stadium Series 2014
For Sidney Crosby (right), his third outdoor appearance wasn't quite as magical as his first (Buffalo, 2008). Playing his first game in Chicago since his rookie season (2005-06), the Penguins' captain was held to a mere three shots by the Blackhawks' defense.
Stadium Series 2014
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was the scoring star for Chicago, beating Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for two goals and tacking on an assist in his team's 5-1 win that dropped Pittsburgh's all-time mark to 1-2 outdoors. The Blackhawks are evened theirs to 1-1.
Heritage Classic 2014
The NHL's third edition of the Heritage Classic, the game that first took the league outdoors in 2003, was held at Vancouver's retractable roofed B.C. Place on March 2. Unfortunately, the weather did not conspire to create a winter wonderland setting. Rain required a closing of the roof, turning the year's final outdoor game into an indoor match.
Heritage Classic 2014
Commissioner Gary Bettman (center) and league COO John Collins may have pressed the league's luck by scheduling so many outdoor games in one year. Tickets were still available the day of the Heritage Classic and fake snow was used to create the proper atmopshere. There were also some complaints about the ice. "I was glad (organizers) had the option to close [the roof|, because it probably would have ruined the game if it was raining out," Ottawa captain Jason Spezza said. "The ice got bad as it was with it closed."
Heritage Classic 2014
The game between the Ottawa Senators and hometown Canucks was billed as a celebration of some ancient hockey history: the 1915 Stanley Cup championship series between the original Senators and Vancouver's Millionaires. For this occasion, the teams wore throwback uniforms from that time period.
Heritage Classic 2014
After allowing two early goals, Senators goalie Craig Anderson (29 saves) and Ottawa's defense stifled the Canucks the rest of the way. Rookie Cody Ceci eventually put the Sens ahead for good as they rallied for a 4-2 win.
Heritage Classic 2104
Despite the weather setback, the 54,194 fans on hand enjoyed themselves. Well, given the final score, Senators fans likely had a better time than the hometown faithful, but conditions were certainly more comfortable than they'd been at most of the year's outdoor games. "It was a pretty cool setting, just to have that many people watch the game, and it was loud all game long," said Sens defenseman Cody Ceci. "We were in Vancouver, but there was a lot of Ottawa fans, so it's good to see fans come out all that way."
Stadium Series 2014
The first game at Yankee Stadium on Jan. 26 had featured an installment of the Hudson River rivalry between the Rangers and New Jersey Devils in daylight. Three frosty nights later, the Islanders arrived to battle the Broadway Blueshirts.
Stadium Series 2014
With the Big Apple trapped in a week-long Arctic vortex, fans were forced to bundle up against temperatures that started at 22 degrees for the opening puck drop and steadily descended toward zero as the wind chill played its part.
Stadium Series 2014
Both teams' offenses were cold as the puck danced unpredictably across hard ice pockmarked with holes and cracks, but the Rangers managed to score twice and that was enough to edge their rivals, 2-1.
Stadium Series 2014
Though the Rangers were officially the visiting team, most of the sell-out crowd of 50,027 was firmly in their corner.
Stadium Series 2014
Now customary at the NHL's outdoor events, a touch of spectacle was provided by postgame fireworks and an earlier musical performance by Cee Lo Green.
Stadium Series 2014
Having secured a precious two points, the Rangers headed home to the warmth of Madison Square Garden, where they hosted a rematch against the Islanders two nights later.
Stadium Series 2014
Yankee Stadium wasn't much warmer for its first NHL game on Jan. 26, which featured some sunshine, but the glare delayed the opening face-off by an hour or so.
Stadium Series 2014
Though the tilt was held in the Rangers' home city, it was technically a Devils home game. A sellout crowd of 50,105 braved temperatures that dropped below 20 degrees with occasional snow flurries.
Stadium Series 2014
The entertainment lineup had a distinct New Jersey flavor with Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes on the bill along with the cast of the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys." Radio City Music Hall's famed Rockettes declined to perform due to the cold.
Stadium Series 2014
Once the puck was dropped, the Devils rushed out to a quick 3-1 lead. Patrik Elias (with puck) scored twice on Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist.
Stadium Series 2014
It turned out to be an ugly day for Martin Brodeur, who was strafed for six goals on 21 shots as the Rangers roared back for a 7-3 win, doing their part to set an outdoor game scoring record by two teams. The Devils' iconic netminder was pulled for backup Cory Schneider after the second period. Brodeur later complained that the quality of the ice in the rink was the worst he had ever played on.
Stadium Series 2014
The most exotic locale for an NHL outdoor game to date was surely sunny L.A. and Dodger Stadium, where the Stadium Series opened on January 25 with a game between the Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. Despite climate concerns, this event proved to be a widely hailed success.
Stadium Series 2014
LA's iconic ballpark was transformed into an entertainment palace featuring such distinct California touches as beach volleyball and yoga.
Stadium Series 2014
What would a game be without a little music? The USC Marching Band was the most unorthodox part of a lineup that included KISS and Five For Fighting.
Stadium Series 2014
Wayne Gretzky and his family were among the luminaries in attendance. After his landmark trade to the Kings in 1988, the Great One envisioned an outdoor game being played in LA some day. The Dodger Stadium event also marked his public return to the NHL spotlight after a lengthy dispute over pay that he was owed to him from his years as coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
Stadium Series 2014
With game time temperatures in the 60s, the 54,099 fans were considerably more comfortable than their counterparts were at the January 1 Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich., where snow fell throughout the day.
Stadium Series 2014
Despite temperatures in the 60s, the ice was in pretty good shape for the game in which netminder Jonas Hiller stopped 36 shots as his Ducks shut out the Kings, 3-0.
Winter Classic 2014
The edition between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings on New Year's Day at 109,901-seat Michigan Stadium was the biggest yet.
Winter Classic 2014
As part of the Michigan edition of the Winter Classic, Detroit's Comerica Park was set up to host a week-long series of Winter Fest events, including college, OHL and AHL games.
Winter Classic 2014
A record crowd of 105,491 battled massive traffic jams to sit in 13-degree weather with a zero degree wind chill.
Winter Classic 2014
The Red Wings, playing in their second Winter Classic, emerged from their dressing room to a winter wonderland of constantly falling snow.
Winter Classic 2014
Wind and heavy snow made skating and stickhandling difficult. Goals came at a premium, but it was an entertaining match won by the Maple Leafs, 3-2, in a shootout.
Heritage Classic
Now let's take a look back at the other spectacles the NHL has staged ...
Heritage Classic 2003
Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton hosted the NHL's first-ever outdoor game, with 57,167 hardy souls braving -20 degree temperatures on November 22. The event was intended to be a one-off.
Heritage Classic 2003
Where's Taylor? Current Oilers forward Taylor Hall was 12 years old when he attended the game with his dad. They traveled to the event from their home in Calgary.
Heritage Classic 2003
Wayne Gretzky and Guy Carbonneau were among the Oilers and Canadiens greats who skated in an alumni game. The Great One's squad won, 2-0. Gretzky called the experience "memorable" and Habs Hall of Famer Guy LaFleur told the CBC, "It felt like we were 10 again, but with the legs of 50-year-olds."
Heritage Classic 2003
Just chillin' in the stands: As if it wasn't cold enough, the wind chill made it feel like it was -28.
Heritage Classic 2003
In the main game, the Canadiens prevailed over the Oilers, 4-3. Habs forward Richard Zednik (not pictured, that's Patrice Brisebois taking a tumble courtesy of Ryan Smyth) was credited with scoring the NHL's first open-air goal—39 seconds into the second period. It was the first of his two tallies on the night.
Heritage Classic 2003
Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore, who made 34 saves in the game, sported a toque in an attempt to stay warm.
Heritage Classic 2003
The evening concluded with a fireworks display, and while the event went over quite well locally, it would be five years before the NHL would venture outdoors again.
Winter Classic 2008
On New Year's Day, the NHL unveiled the first of its annual Winter Classics, billed as a return to the game's roots on frozen ponds. The matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and hometown Sabres attracted a league-record crowd of 71,217 to Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Winter Classic 2008
It was perfect 33-degree weather for hockey as far as Buffalo's passionate fans were concerned.
Winter Classic 2008
Snow flurries added a nice atmospheric touch, as did the teams' throwback uniforms.
Winter Classic 2008
At times, the ice in the specially-constructed rink had to be repaired, which made for some lengthy delays. "The only tough part was snow buildup on the ice," said Sabres winger Jason Pominville. "At times there was a lot of snow, and it made it hard for guys to stickhandle and shoot."
Winter Classic 2008
As he so often does, Sidney Crosby seized the big, nationally-televised stage and scored the game-winning goal by beating netminder Ryan Miller in a shootout. Final score: 2-1.
Winter Classic 2009
The second edition of the Winter Classic was held in the cozier confines of a baseball stadium: Wrigley Field. The conversion to hockey required 20,000 gallons of water cooled by a huge refrigeration truck that was parked out on Sheffield Ave.
Winter Classic 2009
The game between the Detroit Red Wings and the host Blackhawks drew a crowd of 40,818 on a slighly windy, 32-degree day. Fans also jammed the apartment rooftops across the street. Tickets went for as much as $400 apiece.
Winter Classic 2009
The Blackhawks got Wrigley rocking by taking an early 3-1 lead, but couldn't hold it as the Red Wings roared back with five unanswered goals en route to a 6-4 win.
Winter Classic 2009
The teams wore throwback uniforms and the atmosphere was festive on a Chicago winter's afternoon.
Winter Classic 2009
"It was amazing—the whole crowd, the whole atmosphere, it was really unreal," Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane said after the game. "It's like it wasn't really happening. But it was really fun to be a part of."
Winter Classic 2010
The game's retro feel continued with the next edition played at Fenway Park. A sellout crowd of 38,112 enjoyed almost balmy 40-degree weather as the Bruins did battle with the visiting Flyers. The snow and rain that were forecast never materialized.
Winter Classic 2010
Some fans were able to get close to the players.
Winter Classic 2010
Flyers goalie Brian Boucher spent the game on the bench watching starter Michael Leighton stretch a shutout streak to 154 minutes 7 seconds before he was beaten by Boston's Mark Recchi with 2:18 to go in the third period. The goal tied the game at 1-1.
Winter Classic 2010
Bruins coach Claude Julien rocked the Toe Blake look by donning a fedora.
Winter Classic 2010
The crowd went home happy when Marco Sturm scored at 1:57 of overtime to give the Bruins a 2-1 win.
Winter Classic 2010
Fenway's ancient scoreboard told the story.
Winter Classic 2011
Fears about warm, inclement weather came to pass at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh as rain postponed the start of the Capitals-Penguins game from 1 p.m. ET to 8 p.m.
Winter Classic 2011
The game offered a marquee matchup of rivals: Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, who didn't mind the delay in getting started. "I don't see anything wrong with playing under the lights here," he said. "I think that'd be pretty nice. We should all be enjoying ourselves no matter what the scenario."
Winter Classic 2011
The game was a wet, sloppy affair with rain frequently creating puddles on the ice.
Winter Classic 2011
The home crowd didn't have much to cheer about as the Capitals won, 3-1.
Winter Classic 2011
Despite the elements, the game drew a crowd of 68,111 and a national TV audience of 4.5 million.
Heritage Classic 2011
Canada welcomed its second Heritage Classic on February 20, a showdown between the Flames and Canadiens in McMahon Stadium.
Heritage Classic 2011
The Flames entered to a heroes' welcome from the crowd of 41,022. The event also featured an alumni game between members of Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship team and some Montreal notables, as well as AHL and WHL games.
Heritage Classic 2011
Like its predecessor in 2003, this affair was a freezer, with temperatures hovering around -6F. "The stands were full," Flames captain Jarome Iginla said after the game. "I expected some people to go home. I can't imagine how cold they were."
Heritage Classic 2011
Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was sharp, making 21 saves while posting a 4-0 shutout.
Heritage Classic 2011
Ice conditions proved troublesome at times. The rink had to be flooded with a hose due to fears that the weight of the Zamboni would cause the brittle ice to crack and crumble.
Winter Classic 2012
Citizens Bank Park hosted the fifth edition, drawing a boisterous crowd of 46,967 for an Atlantic Division rivalry match between the Flyers and New York Rangers.
Winter Classic 2012
As happened in Pittsburgh, warm weather delayed the start of the game, this time from 1 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Game time temperatures were a comfortable 41 with occasional snow flurries.
Winter Classic 2012
Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky got the start over Ilya Bryzgalov, who became a star for his musings on the universe on HBO's "24/7 Road to the Winter Classic" series.
Winter Classic 2012
Though Rangers coach John Tortorella famously complained about the officiating, he couldn't argue with the outcome: a 3-2 New York victory,
• There was no shortage of hype before the World Junior matchup between Canada and the United States. Is the hype justified?
Yeah, it's kind of reminiscent of the gold medal game back in the 2005 WJC tournament when a draft-eligible Sidney Crosby faced off against Alex Ovechkin shortly after Crosby had been taken first in the 2004 draft. Neither Ovi nor Russia fared all that well in that one (Canada trounced them, 6-1), but it was a moment that presaged a rivalry that came to define the sport. That's how the round robin game set up with McDavid and Eichel pegged by scouts as generational talents, but as I pointed out in Off The Draw, don't be surprised if they aren't the stars of the show. Both players assumed supporting roles for their teams in the early going. That's exactly what you'd expect from underagers in a tournament that's typically dominated by 19-year-olds, but it's worth keeping in mind for fans who don't usually watch this event.
Hey, if there's ice, anthems and Canada/USA, you're guaranteed special. And don't forget that McDavid and Eichel aren't the only kids worth watching. Team USA has Noah Hanifan on defense, and it's a good bet taht he'll be the third player selected in June. The other one that scouts are raving about is Auston Matthews, a 16-year-old forward from Scottsdale, Arizona (!) who's the early favorite to be the top pick in 2016.
• The struggling Devils handed coach Peter DeBoer his pink slip this week, but his firing was nowhere near as big a story as the way he's being replaced. Has GM Lou Lamoriello lost his mind or should he be regarded as a visionary for his football-inspired approach to bench leadership?
You know if this works that others will follow. Lamoriello is still a respected figure among NHL GMs, even if some people acknowledge that his heavy-handed ways would not work with many organizations. Hockey is becoming more structured by the year. Just look at the ideas of puck pursuit, breakout plays and the advanced stats that were not in the game all that long ago. As the game has become more structured, it has also become more open to the ideas of specialized coaching and preparation. Coaching staffs are larger now than they used to be. I remember when teams didn’t have goalie coaches, when one head coach changed both forwards and defensemen, when the idea of an assistant who worked with the special teams was simply not given any thought. If it works, yes, Lamoriello will be thought of as a visionary for trying it, but more important, other teams will consider following suit. If it fails, then it will be a while before people start confusing hockey with football.
I suspect that this is not all that different from how many NHL teams already approach coaching—that is, coaches in charge of specific aspects of the team. What will be interesting is how exactly they move forward. I do not see this as a permanent staff structure, and I suspect they will return to a head coach with assistants who concentrate on their areas of expertise. That's because there needs to be a singular vision for the team, and it doesn't work if there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Is Lamoriello a visionary? In lots of ways, he already is, but I don't think that this is one of them. I think this move will work out fine for the short term. Both Scott Stevens and Adam Oates have a lot of experience working under Lamoriello and in the organization, but there are deeper issues than coaching here. The Devils need to build a better roster and cultivate their talent better than they have. They haven't done particularly well in the draft, and that's where I think New Jersey needs to concentrate.
New Jersey's season is essentially over—the Devils are not leapfrogging past six other teams, even in the East-—so why not swing for the fences? I don't see it as a viable solution (Sarah's right about too many cooks), but they've got four months to let this experiment play out. Maybe they learn something about their structure and game management processes. Maybe they learn something about their development system and their personnel. Maybe they realize just how far removed they are from being anything more than a fringe playoff contender. Or maybe they end up with a high lottery pick. As crazy it looks on the surface, there's really no downside here.
