2010 NHL Winter Classic, held at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Scuttlebutt began to swirl over Twitter yesterday that Washington will host next season’s NHL Winter Classic, the league’s marquee regular-season, New Year’s Day outdoor showcase and historical celebration of all things hockey. The excitement was based on a report by the New England Hockey Journal which learned from sources that the Capitals are “a favorite” to host the game at Nationals Park. The opponent is obviously up in the air (as it all is), but the no-brainer choice would be Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Caps fans were understandably dismayed when Washington was passed by to not only host, but also to play in this season’s game. (The Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers contested the 2010 Classic at Fenway Park.) Nationals Park would be the third baseball facility to host the event, following Wrigley Field in Chicago in 2009 and Fenway this year.
It’s safe to say that a Winter Classic in D.C., especially if the hated Crosby and company are involved, would be an immense deal. In fact, 2011 is shaping up to be one of the biggest sports years in the D.C. region in history. (As Patrick Stevens notes, golf’s U.S. Open will be played at Bethesda’s Congressional Country Club in 2011, and Army and Navy will play their annual football game at FedEx Field.) Nothing is finalized yet; but don’t mind me, I’ll just be making silent preparations to camp out for tickets. Now where’s my sleeping bag?
