NHL 2011-2012: Possible Uniform Changes

[M4One]

As much as I'd like to see Kings/Ducks in LA, it was 82ºF on 1/1 and 80 on 1/2?

I predict this will be the last year that you see an afternoon game for the Winter Classic. Why compete against 3 or 4 college football games and possibly the Rose Bowl. Start it at 8:30pm EST and compete against one college football game. So whatever the temp was the past couple days in LA doesn't matter. Besides, they've done one in Las Vegas in 80 degree weather and the ice was fine then and will be fine today because the technology has come so far.

That's nice and all but part of the appeal of the Winter Classic is the outdoor olde time hockey feel. Putting it in LA just won't achieve that.Sorry.

Old time hockey? The Kings are the seventh oldest team in the league.

First off, they share that honour with four other teams. The Montreal Canadiens they are not.Secondly "old time hockey," as it relates to outdoor games, has little to nothing to do with the participating teams' ages. It's about trying to tap into a partly contrived sense of outdoor hockey nostalgia. An outdoor rink. Snow visible, if not falling. Coaches in heavy coats and goalies wearing toques. Visible breath, that sort of thing. That's what the league wants and that's what the networks want. Given that, the Wild are a more logical choice to fill the "olde time iced hockey" nostalgia role as hosts then the Kings. The team's young, but the area has a very rich hockey history and it fits all of the above mentioned points.Not to say the Kings can't be involved as a visiting team. They'll just never host it.

Screw old time hockey. If you want that, then go play on a river somewhere where no one knows you're there. The league doesn't care about old time hockey feel, if it did then it would include Montreal instead of Washington and Buffalo. But based on the ratings, no one cares about the Classic except the people in the city where it's hosted. Truth be told, it's just another way for the league to get the Only 6 (Pittsburgh, Rangers, Detroit, Boston, Washington, Philly) on tv. I guarantee you that an outdoor game on Manhattan Beach as the sun sets, just outside of LA between the Kings and the Rangers will clearly outdraw any Winter Classic because it's novel. The ratings have proven that people could care less about a hockey in a baseball or football stadium in a cold environment, it no longer will draw people to the tv. The novelty has worn off. Heck, I didn't even watch it, yet I watched Detroit and Dallas tonight.

Does anybody remember when the Kings played an outdoor game against the Rangers in the parking lot of a casino in Las Vegas? Well, as I was trying to find out some info about it, I stumbled upon this link. Basically, the Kings are trying to get something done in 2016, but there are apparently rules that require the temperature to be 35 degrees or under. I don't know how cold it gets out in the sunnier locals in the States.

Is this where you got the idea for the game on Manhattan Beach from?

I'm not necessarily against the idea of having an outdoor game outside of the Northeast US, but the same rules that apply to the Winter Classic and who gets to play in it is probably going to apply for a game elsewhere: big names or big teams to maximize TV ratings. LA fits one of those requirements.

And if it ever happens, please call it something else than the Winter Classic. If the LA game happens at Manhattan Beach, call it Bash At The Beach or something like that.

[Eye]

Anybody know who has the rights to Bash at the Beach? Vince McMahon/WWE? The Winter Classic is an event anyway.

I've cared less and less about the Winter Classic each year. The novelty has worn off for me. I'm on my phone, so I don't have the ratings in front of me, but I'm interested in the numbers.

[BBTV]

Could we see a neutral site classic?

Possibly. But it will take place with the two closest teams. You're not going to get Sharks vs Kings in Utah, but you might get something like Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia at Penn State.

Or maybe something like Rangers vs Islanders/Devils at Yankee or Medowlands Stadium with no "Home" team.

Bettman said no WC in non NHL city.

To all - Can we discuss the unrealistic matchups that we want to see in a non logos thread? It's annoying to click here expecting to read about some new alt or something and get "team x vs team y at site z!!!" or "my ugly jersey shipped."

/fake mod

[CubsFanBudMan]

Here's a logo-related tidbit: Why is the Capitals logo used on the NHL Network's new "NHL Tonight" blue with red script?

Also, I like the jersey updates. 14 bucks or so and it wasn't just the ugly thirds that people ordered.

[Morgan33]

I think they struck gold with the snow game a few years ago and have tried to replicate it with less success each time. The games themselves are interesting, but there's only so much you can do with fake snow and faux-vintage uniforms when there's no additional weather dynamic to make it stand out.

Agreed. The first Winter Classic was absolutely perfect in every way. Everything from the weather conditions to those beautiful uniforms (which by the way did not need to rely on the tired vintage white trend) made for one of the most memorable hockey games ever witnessed. Every Winter Classic since has been a massive letdown in my view. Especially that washed out one in Pittsburgh last year.

As dissapointing as the recent games were however, at least you could always look forward to the new uniforms. That was until this year.

[Sodboy13]

Here's a logo-related tidbit: Why is the Capitals logo used on the NHL Network's new "NHL Tonight" blue with red script?

I was wondering the same thing, especially since so many of the logos used in that graphic set have blue backgrounds. Strangely, the NHL Gamecenter mobile app also uses the red Capitals script on its title screen.

[Sabrejeff]

Here's a logo-related tidbit: Why is the Capitals logo used on the NHL Network's new "NHL Tonight" blue with red script?

I was wondering the same thing, especially since so many of the logos used in that graphic set have blue backgrounds. Strangely, the NHL Gamecenter mobile app also uses the red Capitals script on its title screen.

Because that's the Capitals logo that is used on navy/dark backgrounds, like on the team's home helmets.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Here's kinda what I'm hoping for:

2013- Detroit v Toronto at Comerica Park or the Big House

2014- St. Louis v LA Kings at Busch Stadium (Original 12 matchup)

2015- NY Rangers v NY Islanders at Yankee Stadium

2016- Colorado v LA Kings at Coors Field

2017- Minnesota v Dallas at Target Field (Wild vs. North Stars)

2018- Washington v New Jersey at Nationals Park

[BigBubba]

I guarantee you that an outdoor game on Manhattan Beach as the sun sets, just outside of LA between the Kings and the Rangers will clearly outdraw any Winter Classic because it's novel. The ratings have proven that people could care less about a hockey in a baseball or football stadium in a cold environment, it no longer will draw people to the tv. The novelty has worn off. Heck, I didn't even watch it, yet I watched Detroit and Dallas tonight.

When people on the east coast - the league's biggest marketing area - think of winter, they think of snow falling, visible breath, toques, and mittens. They don't think of a hot sun and sunsets. No one over here thinks of that as a "Winter Classic". It's not the "Outdoor Classic" for a reason.

I'd fear to see the Leafs in a Winter Classic - I hope they wouldn't do a stupid St. Pats-Arenas vintage-white hybrid. Pull on a Barilko-era blue uniform and call it a day.

And just to throw in some uniform change-related tidbit in here on a side note, I think the Oilers made a great decision to ditch the navy Edge third for next year.

[JTernup]

2016- Colorado v LA Kings at Coors Field

yes! A million times YES! Hopefully before 2016 though.

EDIT: my 420th post was my most dopiest post of them all.

[tohasbo]

Here's kinda what I'm hoping for:

2013- Detroit v Toronto at Comerica Park or the Big House

2014- St. Louis v LA Kings at Busch Stadium (Original 12 matchup)

2015- NY Rangers v NY Islanders at Yankee Stadium

2016- Colorado v LA Kings at Coors Field

2017- Minnesota v Dallas at Target Field (Wild vs. North Stars)

2018- Washington v New Jersey at Nationals Park

I would rather see it be Islanders v. Capitals next year or in 2014.

[poser]

Here's kinda what I'm hoping for:

2013- Detroit v Toronto at Comerica Park or the Big House

2014- St. Louis v LA Kings at Busch Stadium (Original 12 matchup)

2015- NY Rangers v NY Islanders at Yankee Stadium

2016- Colorado v LA Kings at Coors Field

2017- Minnesota v Dallas at Target Field (Wild vs. North Stars)

2018- Washington v New Jersey at Nationals Park

There is no way the Kings get two games.

[BBTV]

We need a stop-reel-line-mint graphic for Winter Classic nonsense that ruins non-related threads.

This thread has been Classic-jacked.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

I actually meant to put the Sharks in the Colorado game. Don't know how I f'ed that up. Or possibly make St. Louis v Chicago; Colorado v LA.

Anyways, I'm hearing rumblings in the media around here that the 'NHL has confirmed next year's game to be Red Wings v Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium'.

Anyone else hearing this?

[BadSeed84]

We need a stop-reel-line-mint graphic for Winter Classic nonsense that ruins non-related threads.

This thread has been Classic-jacked.

Other than the all star game, there isn't any other uniform moments really left for the season iirc. so what else is there to talk about?

[-kj]

Yeah, the not-mod BBTV has a point. Let's talk about jerseys here and move "I want the Classic here!" talk off to Sports in General.

[OMMF]

Possible 2012-3 change? Flames are selling off authentic home jersey for $100.

[IceCap]

Possible 2012-3 change? Flames are selling off authentic home jersey for $100.

We can only hope.

[nash61]

Please go back to this:

NOT this:

[habsfan1]

Agreed 100% with Nash. They should use something like this...

But I have a feeling that they're going to with a fauxback set similar to the cup jerseys because they want to make more money. Just my 2¢.