It looks like a Rangers home game at Yankee Stadium for the Winter Classic is no more. Via the Yankees PR Department Twitter, the Yankees have set a college bowl game, dubbed the Pinstripe Bowl, for December 30. No news yet on how long the contract lasts, but this effectively removes Yankee Stadium from the running for the Winter Classic, as it is impossible to put an ice rink in the stadium in such a short period of time.
The formal announcement is coming in a few minutes, but Yankee Stadium is going to be out of the running for the 2011 Winter Classic. Yankee Stadium will host a college bowl game on December 30, 2010. That does not leave enough time to build a rink and make the modifications to the stadium that are necessary to have the game.
There is still a chance for Citi Field or the new Meadowlands, especially after Jason Bay was presented with a Rangers jersey at his introduction last week. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Rangers/Islanders or Rangers/Devils game at either of those two venues.
As expected, the 2010 Winter Classic will be held at Fenway Park, with the Bruins hosting the Flyers. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, as it was all but confirmed a month ago. The official announcement came today at Fenway Park, with a Flyers and a Bruins banner hanging above the Green Monster. It will be interesting to see how they fit hockey players and their equipment in those teeny locker rooms.
As for the 2010 New York Rangers schedule, you can view it here. Opening night The home opener is Saturday, October 3rd against the Senators.
With all the rumors being circulated around the news wires, I think it is necessary to discuss the validity of certain rumors. Everyone is guilty of believing made up rumors, even if you know it isn’t possible for them to happen. For this reason, I only post rumors from credible sources. Credible sources include Spector’s Hockey and TFP (links off to the right), the Toronto Globe and Mail, and other news outlets. I will never, ever, post a rumor from Eklund, or HTR. Ever.
In other news, it’s a Boston/Philly matchup in the 2010 Winter Classic.
Update 12:30pm: There are rumors a plenty right now, involving JayBo and Ryan Clowe. I guess SJ is shopping Clowe, I hope that Sather is at least picking up the phone.
Looks like the NHL is looking to double up on the Winter Classic, setting up a second game in Calgary on New Year’s Day, preferably against another Canadian team. This game would be after the Fenway Park Winter Classic.
Personally, I think this is an awful idea, not from a hockey standpoint (the more hockey on TV the better), but from a realistic standpoint. The point of the Winter Classic (note: Classic, not Classics) is to have a single outdoor game to ring in the New Year (and the beginning of the NBC broadcast). The game has been a great success so far. Adding a second game dilutes this uniqueness of the game.
Also, and more importantly, the Winter Classic currently runs against the single biggest day in College Football. There are five Bowl Games going on New Years Day, including two (!!) BCS Bowls. The beauty of the current Winter Classic is that it runs in between games, usually starting around halftime of the 1pm College Football games (Gator Bowl, Capital One Bowl), and ending before the Rose Bowl.
By adding a second Winter Classic, in double-header format, you run directly against either the Rose Bowl (5pm)or the Orange Bowl (8pm). There’s no way around it. Do you really think the NHL will win over those two? Unless the Rangers are on, I’m watching College Football, as is the rest of the country.
ESPN is reporting that “sources” are saying that Fenway Park, not Yankee Stadium, will be the site for the 2010 Winter Classic.
The Bruins’ opponent is still unknown, but it is likely to be an Original Six team. With Chicago and Detroit already having played in the 2009 Winter Classic, my deducing skills have led me to believe that either the Canadians, Leafs or Rangers will be the opponent. I’m so smart.
Update 3:15pm: The Boston Herald is confirming the news that the game will be held at Fenway.
Yankee Stadium, with the Rangers playing host, is at the top of the NHL’s list of possible venues to host the next Winter Classic. If Yankee Stadium hosts the game, I will be sitting out in the freezing cold to watch.
The full article at Bloomberg can be read here.
Update 12:50pm: Shanny came to terms with the Devils, for $800,000 (roughly $400,000 from now until the end of the season). You’re telling me the Rangers couldn’t waive Fritsche and sign Shanny to that? Really? Sather is lucky the Zherdev trade worked out so well, or else this would be considered a disastrous year for him.
Winter Classic | Dave, 9 Mar 10 | 
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