Wild-Hawks Stadium Series game a classic

Full disclosure I have to admit right here that I am not originally from the Midwest. I am not even from the USA.

So, it’s possible I have this wrong, but before I moved here from Canada I always thought there were two ‘hubs’ of hockey in the USA — Massachusetts and Minnesota.

Now, I have lived here for 15 years and I think its fair to add Colorado and New York to that short list, primarily since they are pretty much the bases for USA National Hockey teams and there are several other states, like say Michigan or some of the other New England states, that could make a good argument as well.

But it still seems strange how long it took the NHL to finally give Minnesota a shot at one of the big outdoor hockey games. Ironically, in the same season that Boston hosts the annual New Years Day ‘Winter Classic’ Contest, the Minnesota Wild will host one of the two ‘Stadium Series’ Games to be played at TCF Bank Stadium — home of the Minnesota Gophers Football team.

There is a third game scheduled as well, another in the ‘Stadium Series’ and another perfect spot for a game — Coors Stadium in Colorado with the Detroit Red Wings paying a visit.

As far as location, these games are perfect and as far as rivalry games, this just might be the best season yet in that category.

What I really like about the Wild vs. Hawks game is the organizers are embracing the Minnesota North Stars’ history in this great hockey community. The game in Minnesota will take place Feb. 21, 2016 but the previous day will be a great one for local fans who get a chance to see some of the greatest names in the history of professional hockey in the Twin Cities lacing them up once again.

Bobby Smith, Dino Ciccarelli, Neal Broten and Mike Modano from the great North Star years will be joined by former Wild players Andrew Brunnette and Wes Walz among others.

The Hawks list includes great names like Denis Savard, Jeremy Roenick, Ed Belfour, Murrary Bannerman and Ed Olczyk.

Modern era fans won’t recall, but during the 80’s and 90’s these two teams played as rivals in the five team Norris Division (Detroit, Toronto and St. Louis were in the division as well) in an era when matching up any two of these five teams generally developed into a war on ice. Minnesota and Chicago may have had one of the fiercest of these rivalries and while younger fans may not recall the old time rivalry from a great NHL era, the fact these teams have collided in each of the previous three playoffs (all won by the Hawks) sees this rivalry ignited somewhat as well.

The Hawks have become an outdoor game regular — playing on natural ice for a third straight season, but unlike Washington and Pittsburgh who they played in recent seasons, this is a real NHL rivalry.

Both of the other outdoor games will be reigniting some long time rivalries as well. The great playoff battles between the Red Wings and Avalanche of the 90’s and early 2000’s will be relived with the alumni game for this battle. Fans of the Wings and Avs still have a hate for the other team I think, but the game loses a bit of lustre as these teams are no longer even in the same conference.

It’s worth mentioning too that while the New Years Day game has no Midwest involvement, it just may be the best rivalry of all. The Habs and Bruins have battles dating back as far as early 70’s when a rookie goaltender named Ken Dryden made a name for himself upsetting a Bruins team loaded with future Hall of Famers in the playoffs. Since then it seems these two teams clash annually in the post season and the results are always entertaining.

Certainly the alumni game will again feature some great names but the biggest thing up for grabs in this one could be two points in a great divisional battle.

I can’t wait to see all of these games, and congrats to the NHL brass for finally getting it right by selecting Minnesota as a host.