Leafs vs. Wings - "Centennial Classic" Outdoor Game Jan 1, 2017

[Diatomic]

Bleh

 

[LeafsNation75]

Well I guess I can get behind the Centennial of the league .. But shouldn't it be against the Habs in this case? Weird.

Gary Bettman was saying because of how great the Winter Classic with the Leafs and Red Wings was, it made the most sense for them to play each other outdoors again.

 

[Cor]

Gary Bettman was saying because of how great the Winter Classic with the Leafs and Red Wings was, it made the most sense for them to play each other outdoors again.

The managing of the outdoor games has been botched like crazy.

They're cool to watch, and sell themselves, yet the NHL destroyed all of that

 

[BayStreetBully]

I guess I'm one of the few that like the idea of hosting the Centennial Classic. I mean, if we get to kickstart the NHL's centennial year of 2017 on January 1, and celebrate our team centennial at the same time, that sounds better than any "Winter Classic" or "Heritage Classic", both of which mean nothing to me in name.

How would an NHL draft celebrate the team's centennial? That's all about the future. How would the Leafs use an all-star game to celebrate the team's centennial? That's more about the league and its stars. With a Centennial Classic, we can have a ceremony and roll out all our alumni and celebrate the team however we want.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

lol. So basically the plan for our 100th season is an outdoor game, which half-a-dozen other teams also get.

It's kind of embarrassing how the league is milking this cow dry. The outdoor games mean absolutely nothing anymore. Nobody outside of the cities playing cares. Horribly mismanaged.

 

[tmlms13]

Dec 31st 2016 is the World Junior Canada vs USA played in Toronto.

Play that outdoors at BMO

NBCSN might even offer to pick that up, anything that is U-S-A, U-S-A

 

[Confucius]

Let's not be concerned that the league is doing next to nothing in promoting our centennial. Let's look to what MLSE willl be doing for us. It is our party year as long as there are some team initiated events for us locally i'm satisfied.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I said it on the main board, but I'm a little confused as to why Detroit again?

Not that I'm necessarily complaining, because I rather enjoyed the Detroit-Toronto Winter Classic....although on that note, we did just play Detroit not too long ago.

EDIT: I see Gary Bettman said because it was great last time, but that doesn't mean you should do the same thing again...especially considering it's the "Centennial Game" and not the "Winter Classic".

Let's not be concerned that the league is doing next to nothing in promoting our centennial. Let's look to what MLSE willl be doing for us. It is our party year as long as there are some team initiated events for us locally i'm satisfied.

Well true, I'm sure MLSE will have some fun stuff in store.

I find it funny that on the main board the narrative seems to be people thinking we are entitled *******s for wondering why we get this newly made up Centennial Game instead of something akin to what Montreal did.

 

[Legion34]

I guess I'm one of the few that like the idea of hosting the Centennial Classic. I mean, if we get to kickstart the NHL's centennial year of 2017 on January 1, and celebrate our team centennial at the same time, that sounds better than any "Winter Classic" or "Heritage Classic", both of which mean nothing to me in name.

How would an NHL draft celebrate the team's centennial? That's all about the future. How would the Leafs use an all-star game to celebrate the team's centennial? That's more about the league and its stars. With a Centennial Classic, we can have a ceremony and roll out all our alumni and celebrate the team however we want.

If it is the centennial classic, why not have a game between the only 2 teams to make 100 yrs?

 

[BayStreetBully]

I said it on the main board, but I'm a little confused as to why Detroit again?

Not that I'm necessarily complaining, because I rather enjoyed the Detroit-Toronto Winter Classic....although on that note, we did just play Detroit not too long ago.

Shanny and Babcock have ties with Detroit. For an alumni game, Yzerman and Lidstrom can't say no to those two. And I'm sure the other legends from the Wings dynasty will say yes to Shanny as well.

What other options are there? Montreal, Chicago, Ottawa, Buffalo, New Jersey, I suppose. Which of these teams would make for a good alumni game with legends? With a couple exceptions, Montreal and Ottawa don't have any legends from the 80's/90's/00's. Chicago, Buffalo and Jersey are not exactly a better option than Detroit. I could see why they went with Detroit.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Shanny and Babcock have ties with Detroit. For an alumni game, Yzerman and Lidstrom can't say no to those two. And I'm sure the other legends from the Wings dynasty will say yes to Shanny as well.

What other options are there? Montreal, Chicago, Ottawa, Buffalo, New Jersey, I suppose. Which of these teams would make for a good alumni game with legends? With a couple exceptions, Montreal and Ottawa don't have any legends from the 80's/90's/00's. Chicago, Buffalo and Jersey are not exactly a better option than Detroit. I could see why they went with Detroit.

Sure, but we just did it.

I agree with this:

If it is the centennial classic, why not have a game between the only 2 teams to make 100 yrs?

 

[BayStreetBully]

If it is the centennial classic, why not have a game between the only 2 teams to make 100 yrs?

I don't think they're necessary at all to celebrate the Leafs or the NHL. I think a centennial classic would do just as well with Toronto vs. any of their historical, modern or geographical rivals.

 

[buttman*]

Won't even watch it on TV. Definitely not going to bother watching it live.

NHL takes Leafs for granted.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Won't even watch it on TV. Definitely not going to bother watching it live.

NHL takes Leafs for granted.

If you're speaking of the regular season game, are you going to treat it any differently than another regular season game?

If you're speaking of an alumni game, why wouldn't you want to watch Gilmour and Sundin play? I think we can be sure Sundin will play this time.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I don't think they're necessary at all to celebrate the Leafs or the NHL. I think a centennial classic would do just as well with Toronto vs. any of their historical, modern or geographical rivals.

If true, that's probably why people are looking at this skeptically.


It really seems like the league throwing the Leafs a bone.


We read about the league not giving us any of the major events, and then we were confused. We then read they will be giving the Leafs something special in honour of their 100th year.

And then we see what appears to be yet another Winter Classic. Not even the actual Winter Classic.

I don't know. I guess it's not that big of a deal, but it feels a bit like a...."oh, well...here you go" from the league, no?

That's not to say the Centennial Classic won't be fun.Maybe I'm just in a mood....

 

[buttman*]

If you're speaking of the regular season game, are you going to treat it any differently than another regular season game?

If you're speaking of an alumni game, why wouldn't you want to watch Gilmour and Sundin play? I think we can be sure Sundin will play this time.

Love Sundin and Gilmour. Too bad the way Sundin was treated at the end. Might watch that. It's a tough day though -- Jan 1 -- being a holiday and family day.

 

[BayStreetBully]

If true, that's probably why people are looking at this skeptically.


It really seems like the league throwing the Leafs a bone.


We read about the league not giving us any of the major events, and then we were confused. We then read they will be giving the Leafs something special in honour of their 100th year.

And then we see what appears to be yet another Winter Classic. Not even the actual Winter Classic.

I don't know. I guess it's not that big of a deal, but it feels a bit like a...."oh, well...here you go" from the league, no?

That's not to say the Centennial Classic won't be fun.Maybe I'm just in a mood....

Personally, I don't even know what the Winter Classic or the Heritage Classic means. Those names mean nothing to me. At least with a Centennial Classic, I know they are celebrating 100 years. On name alone, I'd much rather host that.

 

[pspot]

All you have to do is out the word classic on the end of it . Nhl marketing

 

[Commander Clueless]

Personally, I don't even know what the Winter Classic or the Heritage Classic means. Those names mean nothing to me. At least with a Centennial Classic, I know they are celebrating 100 years. On name alone, I'd much rather host that.

Naming wise, yeah.


But I just mean they appear to have copied the format and just given us yet another version of the Winter Classic.


We'll see what actually happens though. It just think this was handled poorly, at least from a PR perspective.

On the bright side, it should be a good game.

 

[Amadeus]

Yeah so, essentially, I have no real interest in attending the event.

Not sure why the Wings were selected when we know there is a more interest of a Toronto-Montreal or Toronto-Boston or even Toronto-Buffalo before Detroit comes into the equation.

Not really excited about this!

 

[BayStreetBully]

Yeah so, essentially, I have no real interest in attending the event.

Not sure why the Wings were selected when we know there is a more interest of a Toronto-Montreal or Toronto-Boston or even Toronto-Buffalo before Detroit comes into the equation.

Not really excited about this!

Ok, I don't get this kind of reasoning. If you don't like the idea of the Centennial Classic, I get that. Fine. But for someone who thinks that way, how does having Montreal or Boston or Buffalo instead of Detroit make it any better?

Unless the only reason you don't care for this is because Detroit is the opponent instead of Montreal. But really, who has no interest in an event because of the minor differences in opponents, when the event is about the actual event itself?

 

[BayStreetBully]

Naming wise, yeah.


But I just mean they appear to have copied the format and just given us yet another version of the Winter Classic.


We'll see what actually happens though. It just think this was handled poorly, at least from a PR perspective.

On the bright side, it should be a good game.

Well, if you could choose to have one event next year, would you rather the draft or the all-star game? Because we were never going to get all three. If that's the underlying issue, then yeah you won't be happy. If you would be happy with just one event, but dispute *which* event, I see your point but I don't think the draft or all-star game is any better a way to celebrate our centennial.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Well, if you could choose to have one event next year, would you rather the draft or the all-star game? Because we were never going to get all three. If that's the underlying issue, then yeah you won't be happy. If you would be happy with just one event, but dispute *which* event, I see your point but I don't think the draft or all-star game is any better a way to celebrate our centennial.

Actually, my main thought is that the league made a new game rather than honouring the Leafs with their own main events as they did with Montreal.

Really, though I'm not unhappy. I just think it's a little confusing, and wasn't really handled very well PR-wise.

I also think it's weird we're doing a repeat of the Winter Classic we just had, but with a Centennial label...even if that does make fiscal sense.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Actually, my main thought is that the league made a new game rather than honouring the Leafs with their own main events as they did with Montreal.

Really, though I'm not unhappy. I just think it's a little confusing, and wasn't really handled very well PR-wise.

I also think it's weird we're doing a repeat of the Winter Classic we just had, but with a Centennial label...even if that does make fiscal sense.

Ok I see. Well, agree to disagree, then. Personally, I like the thought of hosting a "Centennial Classic", and I even like the thought of the league making a new game just for us. Seems more special that way.

I didn't actually care about hosting anything next year. But given the news yesterday and their justification for it, I approve.

 

[WTFMAN99]

The managing of the outdoor games has been botched like crazy.

They're cool to watch, and sell themselves, yet the NHL destroyed all of that

They did too many of them.

Same teams in them over and over again as well, doesn't keep it fresh.

This one just feels like a slap in the face.