Written by Mary Clarke at SBNation.com
Is anyone else sick of having the Chicago Blackhawks in outdoor games? I get it, I truly do, as to why they’re there. They’re the NHL’s cash cow, the money makers, the bread winners. The Blackhawks have three of the last six Stanley Cups and as a result have had four outdoor games since their inception in 2008.
Chicago’s record in those outdoor games? One win and three losses.
And hopefully their worst game of the four will be their last as many people seem to be suffering from Blackhawks fatigue. In a similar vein to Sidney Crosby’s treatment by NBC, fans have had enough of Chicago’s presence in the outdoor festivities.
On the other hand, Minnesota certainly enjoyed their time in the overcast skies of Minneapolis in their 6-1 victory over the Blackhawks in their first outdoor game. Despite the non-sellout crowd, TCF Bank Stadium was rocking all day long — and all weekend thanks to the Alumni Game — with the home team posting six goals in the game.
Minnesota Wild fans will tell you they’re probably not sick of the outdoor games, coming off the high of a really stellar weekend. It’s understandable that fans are tired of the celebrations, but the real problem might be the lack of range in the NHL’s selections.
It’s hard to be excited about these games when the same teams play in them every year. We get why the NHL does it — money, ratings — but fans seem less and less enthused with every passing outdoor game.
A way to shake things up? Put teams in like Minnesota who haven’t had their chance in the spotlight yet. The Avalanche will get their chance next week and with rumors of the Blues being the frontrunners for the 2017 Winter Classic, it’s most definitely a start.
But please, NHL. Leave the Blackhawks out of it for a few more years. Your fans will thank you.
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