43 replies to this topic

[RowdyFan42]

Putting Toronto in the WC is a good way to appease the Canadian media, and even though Detroit's been in it before, the Big House will be a fantastic venue for the game.

[Steven M.]

Actually, given the fact that the NHL seems to be rolling with this first game is away, second game is home format, is it really that incomprehensible that the Devils play them? Who would fit better? The Islanders maybe? They can't do a rematch with Philly... Boston? Haven't they already played two? (legit question: unsure if they've played one or two). I think the Devils would be the perfect fit...

HAVING SAID THAT (in the words of seinfeld and larry david) ... I am not getting my hopes up

[Devils Dose]

Boston? Haven't they already played two? (legit question: unsure if they've played one or two).

Boston hosted one and that has been it for them.

[Colin226]

The Leafs will generate tons of revenue, but in reality the Devils have a more exciting team.. The Leafs could suck like Columbus and might still get the nod for this because their fans will spend $ regardless

[Quinn01]

Looks like Detroit will be having a "Winter Festival" that has tons of stuff ranging from highschool hockey games to celebrity games.

It will be Toronto vs Detroit in next years winter classic.

[roomtemp]

Screw you Canada. You and your media are a bunch of whiny bastards. "Wahhhh... why aren't there any Canadian teams in the Winter Classic? Wahhhh NBC is doing this for the US market but we're Canada we live breath and die hockey" Okay but why can't you let the US have ONE THING for itself in the world of hockey. It helps grow the game in the US from the casual fan to the fans in the markets represented. You think it wouldn't help a market like St. Louis, San Jose or New Jersey? That it wouldn't benefit from the exposure of being the away team? They would bring as much or more of a tv share as the Leafs would.

But no the same fans and media that whine when teams aren't in places they don't consider "worthy" of a team aren't drawing because they suck out loud and there are few markets in most sports that 100 percent show up for sucky teams. That won't let a market like Phoenix enjoy a good season because of relocation rumors every off season. Do you know how hard it would be to get invested with a team, to watch, to spend money to watch our team if it seemed like it had one foot out the door every season? Not saying Phoenix would be a great market but its hard to build one when a team is usually bad in a new place (though putting the stadium in Glendale didn't help)

Bunch of whiny vultures sometimes. It should be the team with what might be the last year of the greatest goalie ever in the game. Don't think that wouldn't help the bottom line with jersey sales and all other WC merchandise it would move for the Devils? Don't think there would be a few kids who hear the hype in San Jose and become new hockey fans after finally watching it? But no let's bring the Leafs into it in a short sighted move to fill the Big House. In conclusion: screw you Canada and your media, I hope there is going to be a Heritage Classic so I can bitch and moan about there being no America teams in it

[Marshall]

I could see a superbowl 2014 tie in, can't you guys? I think that would be cool actually.

Why would the NFL (or NHL for that matter) want to share the limelight?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Screw you Canada. You and your media are a bunch of whiny bastards. "Wahhhh... why aren't there any Canadian teams in the Winter Classic? Wahhhh NBC is doing this for the US market but we're Canada we live breath and die hockey" Okay but why can't you let the US have ONE THING for itself in the world of hockey. It helps grow the game in the US from the casual fan to the fans in the markets represented. You think it wouldn't help a market like St. Louis, San Jose or New Jersey? That it wouldn't benefit from the exposure of being the away team? They would bring as much or more of a tv share as the Leafs would.

But no the same fans and media that whine when teams aren't in places they don't consider "worthy" of a team aren't drawing because they suck out loud and there are few markets in most sports that 100 percent show up for sucky teams. That won't let a market like Phoenix enjoy a good season because of relocation rumors every off season. Do you know how hard it would be to get invested with a team, to watch, to spend money to watch our team if it seemed like it had one foot out the door every season? Not saying Phoenix would be a great market but its hard to build one when a team is usually bad in a new place (though putting the stadium in Glendale didn't help)

Bunch of whiny vultures sometimes. It should be the team with what might be the last year of the greatest goalie ever in the game. Don't think that wouldn't help the bottom line with jersey sales and all other WC merchandise it would move for the Devils? Don't think there would be a few kids who hear the hype in San Jose and become new hockey fans after finally watching it? But no let's bring the Leafs into it in a short sighted move to fill the Big House. In conclusion: screw you Canada and your media, I hope there is going to be a Heritage Classic so I can bitch and moan about there being no America teams in it

The Devils aren't ever getting one of these...well, suffice it to say that their chances are very small. I think the Rangers-Islanders would happen before the Rangers-Devils.

The reasons being:
There aren't that many Devils fans outside of the truly hardcore (I don't think we have much in the way of casual fans). But I do think our "hardcores" are as into it as any.

As far as "sex appeal" goes, the Devils are in the bottom third. They don't play in Canada, they don't have a long history compared to some other teams, and no matter what style they play, who's playing for them, or who's coaching them, the masses will ALWAYS label them as a clutching, grabbing, trapping, boring, excitement-killing team. The masses will give the Devils props for winning, but notice how it's always "yeah, they've won three Cups, BUT" with that crowd.

It would take YEARS of being an offensive dynamo before the Devils could ever shake that rep...sadly enough.

[peteyvegas]

Two reasons the Devils should be in it: One, the people love the jersey. I think more non-hockey fans wear Devil jersey's than fans. Two: Exposure. I've always said that there's only about 20,000 Devil fans in the world. We could use the help.
Canadian fans get HNC every week. The WC is preaching to the choir, whereas the idea of it is exposure. Otherwise, why would it be on New Years? I'd love to see this current Devil team on national TV.

[DevsMan84]

Two reasons the Devils should be in it: One, the people love the jersey. I think more non-hockey fans wear Devil jersey's than fans. Two: Exposure. I've always said that there's only about 20,000 Devil fans in the world. We could use the help.
Canadian fans get HNC every week. The WC is preaching to the choir, whereas the idea of it is exposure. Otherwise, why would it be on New Years? I'd love to see this current Devil team on national TV.

The second reason alone is what is and will be keeping the Devils out of the WC forever.

[peteyvegas]

Yeah.

[Amberite]

The Devils won't be in the WC for a long, long time, if not ever. Can we just move on with our lives and be happy that the sport itself is getting tons of attention with these games?

Also, I'm very excited about this venue. That stadium is massive and it will generate a lot of media presence if there are 100,000+ fans there. Along with the hockeytown festivities, it should be a really good week for hockey

[BlueSkirt]

I'm still waiting for the All-Star Game at the Rock...... ya know how all other new stadiums get that game....

[Colin226]

Two reasons the Devils should be in it: One, the people love the jersey. I think more non-hockey fans wear Devil jersey's than fans. Two: Exposure. I've always said that there's only about 20,000 Devil fans in the world. We could use the help.
Canadian fans get HNC every week. The WC is preaching to the choir, whereas the idea of it is exposure. Otherwise, why would it be on New Years? I'd love to see this current Devil team on national TV.

20,000? We have like 250k liking us on Facebook, and over 600k in the Devils sales database (which are people who have show interest I the team either through ticket sales, entering contests online, buying merch fro the NHL store, etc)

So it's hard to believe we only have 20k fans..

I still say that te Leafs aren't exciting to watch, but their fans would still spend ridiculous money even if the team was comprise of a lump of dog sh!t placed at center ice

[DevsMan84]

I'm still waiting for the All-Star Game at the Rock...... ya know how all other new stadiums get that game....

I think JVB said the league pretty much promised him one, but he is holding off from accepting it until the hotels are finished nearby.

[Marv4Life]

I'm still waiting for the All-Star Game at the Rock...... ya know how all other new stadiums get that game....

Except Anaheim, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington all have newer/modern arenas that haven't hosted one.

[roomtemp]

Again I'm not annoyed that its not the Devils I'm more annoyed that it is a Canadian team because that misses the point of what the WC should be. Growing the game in the US. You get two US markets and it creates buzz in there for what would have been just a regular season game. Now its one market and the rest of the US being ehh. Plus it was hoping they would use it to uplift a mid market like the Blues, San Jose or us like I said before.

[Dead]

I would like to see a WC with Habs vs Devils... Marty would gave to be in net for that game

[RowdyFan42]

The Devils won't be in the WC for a long, long time, if not ever. Can we just move on with our lives and be happy that the sport itself is getting tons of attention with these games?

Devils fans? Happy? What are you, crazy?

[devlman]

Not only are the Leafs an original 6 and geographic rival, but they were also chosen to help fill 110,000+ seats. I wouldve preferred two American teams but its an exception for one year. Its not like they'll regularly have a Canadian team after that.

I'm more happy they are shifting away from soul-less stadiums and associating the WC with classical and historical stadiums again. The shift back to football stadiums will also boost the coffers and help greatly with sight lines, too. I still dont know how Citizens Bank ever hosted one.

Edited by devlman, 09 February 2012 - 03:13 PM.