WASHINGTON — A hockey rink situated in the middle of a baseball stadium remains a surreal sight to this day.
Throw in aging rocker Billy Idol sneering his way through his hits while rehearsing on a stage surrounded by fake snow, and things border on the sublime.
Those oddities spotted Wednesday at Nationals Park can mean only one thing: The NHL’s marquee event, the Winter Classic, is back.
The Blackhawks and Capitals will face off Thursday afternoon in the seventh edition of the outdoor game, and as with almost all sequels, the buzz of anticipation lessens with each version.
As the 2015 edition looms, there is no better time to examine some of the best and worst things about the Winter Classic.
Since it’s the beginning of a new year and optimism abounds, let’s start with the biggest positive: The players enjoy the spotlight of being the only game worth watching — at least until the college football semifinals begin.
“It’s exciting,” Hawks winger Patrick Kane said after practice Wednesday. “You see this game on the schedule, and it’s definitely one of the first games circled. When you get out there, it almost feels like a playoff type of game with the buzz around. We enjoy it.”
Added coach Joel Quenneville: “The setting, the opportunity, the thrill, just being in that fresh-air environment is second to none. So it’s a privilege and an honor. Take advantage of it because it’s very special.”
Another nice aspect of the Classic is it is something different. Any change in routine from the grind of the long season is a welcome respite for everyone surrounding a hockey team, and the Winter Classic certainly provides that.
Seeing stocking caps, hand warmers, tinted visors and thermal underwear added to the usual array of sticks, gloves and skates in the dressing room shakes things up.
“It breaks up the monotony of the 82-game schedule,” Hawks winger Daniel Carcillo said. “You get to play one outside.”
While the varying weather conditions can wreak havoc on everything from the ice conditions to the start time, that unknown makes the Classic unique. There is a real possibility the start of Thursday’s game will be delayed because of something normally sought at a baseball stadium: bright sunshine.
“The weather is a huge factor,” Hawks winger Marian Hossa said. “We don’t have to deal with it 81 times in the regular season. If it’s too sunny, it can have an effect.”
Let’s hope it does. Isn’t that what playing outside is all about?
Need another positive? If your team is playing in the Winter Classic, it generally means the franchise remains relevant. Both the Hawks and Capitals are playing in their second Classic, while plenty of teams haven’t had a sniff.
“It’s probably reflective of the Blackhawks being a model franchise in the NHL,” captain Jonathan Toews said. “The way they handle things in Chicago, what they give back to the fans, the type of team we have and how competitive we are as a whole is very special, and the NHL recognizes that. For us, it’s fun to be a part of these things and represent our city in the right way.”
Which brings us to a couple of negatives.
At some point, the NHL will acknowledge there are teams west of the Mississippi that would want to host a Winter Classic. Chicago is the westernmost city where the event has been held, and frankly, enough with the Hawks, Capitals, Penguins, Flyers and Red Wings. How about giving the Blues, Avalanche, Kings, Sharks or Ducks a chance to shine?
One more thing: The hype surrounding a Winter Classic can be a distraction. Along with the honor of being selected comes the inevitable crush of media, including a cable channel bearing cameras and microphones for a behind-the-scenes series.
This time it’s Epix, and while they’re getting their shots of players and coaches in candid moments on and off the ice, the focus is often lost on what matters most about a hockey game: winning it.
“It’s like a playoff game before the game because there is so much media, so much coverage,” Hossa said. “Sometimes you get caught in the moment and you forget it’s just another game that you’re trying to win.”
Twitter @ChrisKuc
