Eight NHL teams have "yet to be scheduled for one of the 26 outdoor games" since the initial Winter Classic in '08, but those days "could be approaching," according to Stephen Whyno of the AP. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league is "getting close" to involving those teams -- the Blue Jackets, Coyotes, Golden Knights, Hurricanes, Lightning, Panthers, Predators and Stars. The NHL is going back to "familiar favorites" for both the Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium and the Stadium Series game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Blackhawks will make their sixth outdoor appearance during the game in South Bend, taking on the Bruins (third), while the Penguins (fifth) and Flyers (fourth) will face off inside the Eagles' home venue. Players from teams yet to participate "understand why big-market counterparts are chosen instead but figure there's value in spreading the wealth." Blue Jackets D Seth Jones: "We talk about growing the game, right? You have to get nontraditional markets and put outdoor games in nontraditional markets in order to grow the game. You don't need it to be grown in Toronto or Philly because those are already huge markets. But I understand why ticket sales, all that stuff plays a factor." Whyno notes there has been "criticism of the NHL for not getting some smaller-market teams involved in the outdoor rotation." Predators C Ryan Johansen: "With the same teams keep playing the same games, I'm sure they look forward to it, but it doesn't have as big of an impact as it would for Nashville." Daly said one of the "original ideas behind adding the Stadium Series was really to be able to do that: make those more kind of local events that are big deals in those markets" (AP, 9/7).
