How to get through the holidays with your pals in the NHL
For being a winter sport, you would think that hockey would get a little more love during the holidays. But it doesn’t, at least not here stateside.
Perhaps it’s because the league takes a break around Christmas while there are other sports that choose this time of year to host some of their interesting matchups. Whatever the reason, there is hockey during the holidays that shouldn’t be missed, stretching from before Christmas Eve into the new year.
With that in mind, know that you don’t have to get lost in Christmas Day hoops or the millions of college bowl games. Here are all things hockey that you don't want to skip this holiday season.
Team Holiday Videos
This is quite possibly one of the best things about the holiday season: When the hockey teams release their holiday videos. Some feature original material:
Some parody the best holiday movies ever made:
And some feature Alex Ovechkin in a pink bunny costume.
Schedule
The league might take a break Christmas weekend, but there are plenty of hard-hitting tilts the following week to carry your interest into New Year’s Day. Think the Pacific Division showdown between the Oilers and Sharks Dec. 23, then the Senators at Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers right after Christmas weekend. Friday the 23rd is also highlighted by the rematch between Montreal and Columbus in the teams' first meeting since the Blue Jackets routed the Habs 10-0 Nov. 4.
There are interesting rumbles between teams that have yet to see each other this season, like the Wednesday night tilt between the Blues and Flyers Dec. 28 and the Capitals vs. the Devils Dec. 29. Then to end the holiday-New Year's schedule madness, Shea Weber makes his return to Bridgestone Arena for the first time since being traded in the offseason when the Canadiens visit the Predators Jan. 3.
Outdoor Games
Sure, the whole outdoor game thing has become something of a “regular” event over the last couple of years, and the Heritage Classic already took place back in October. But it still makes for a great reason to nurse your New Year’s Day hangover in front of the tube. Besides, there are two really good matchups in store.
The Centennial Classic in Toronto gives us a rematch of the 2014 Winter Classic between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. The face-off between the two Original Six teams is perfect as the kickoff to the NHL’s 100th anniversary celebration, which is supposed to carry throughout 2017. The history between these two teams is stacked to boot. According to NHL.com’s release about the game, “In the 655 all-time regular-season games against each other, Detroit has captured 662 points against Toronto, holding a six-point advantage over Toronto's 656. Additionally, the 117 playoff games between the franchises remains the second most in NHL® history (170, Boston vs. Montreal).”
Then there is, of course, the Winter Classic that takes place at Busch Stadium in St. Louis Jan. 2 for what will hopefully be a nasty brawl between the Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks. In addition to the history between the two teams, the current rosters tend to play each other pretty rough. Plus, this is also the venue for the alumni game on New Year' Eve, in which the likes of Brett Hull, Al MacInnis and Wayne Gretzky, among others, will be in attendance.
Buildup to ASG
Voting for the All-Star Game started Dec. 1, but it typically doesn’t get exciting until the end of the month when rumors start to swirl regarding who has more votes than whom. Will there be another surprise All-Star nominee this season a la John Scott? Will the league try to intervene if there is? (That was meant to be sarcastic. It is hard to imagine a repeat of Scott’s trade from Arizona to Montreal followed by reassignment to the AHL.)
Broadcast-Ready Holiday-Themed Attire
Don Cherry’s suits always steal the spotlight, and he has indeed already debuted some of his holiday finest. But there are players across the league known to don some festive duds, and that should be reason enough to stick around after the final buzzer to watch post-game interviews. My bet is on Brent Burns to bring the most holiday magic this year.
More must-reads: