Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke yesterday said that the NHL’s decision to play the 2024 Discover Winter Classic in Seattle, a “city known for rain this time of year,” had “plenty to do with the Mariners’ flexibility in making their retractable-roofed ballpark available for several weeks," according to Geoff Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. Beyond the Mariners making T-Mobile Park available for the “lengthy process of building the temporary hockey rink inside," the NHL “liked that it would have the ability to only partially close the stadium’s roof directly over the rink if it rains.” That would enable them to "keep the remainder of the venue in an open-air environment” which the league believes is “crucial to the appeal of its outdoor games.” NHL Chief Content Officer Steve Mayer said that the plan is to “build the stadium rink beneath a partial section of T-Mobile Park’s roof so that if needed on game day, only that portion would be closed.” The plan for now is to “reconfigure the T-Mobile Park rink more between third base and first base” so that it "'fits perfectly under the slab of roof' that can protect the ice from any rain." Mayer said that the NHL has "looked into staging" a Winter Classic in Seattle “since the Kraken franchise was approved” in December 2018 (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/2).
HERITAGE CLASSIC TO HIGHLIGHT RIVALRY: In Calgary, Daniel Austin noted the Flames will face-off against the Oilers in the 2023 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic on October 29 at Commonwealth Stadium, the “same location as the very first Heritage Classic,” which took place in 2003 when the Oilers hosted the Canadiens. Though the game dates back to 2003, this will “only be the seventh time” the Heritage Classic has been played. This will be the “first time it will be a Battle of Alberta” (CALGARY HERALD, 1/1). THE ATHLETIC's Julian McKenzie wrote the game is “an easy scheduling win” for the NHL, "pitting together its fiercest provincial rivals in an outdoor game." The NHL is "striking the iron while it’s hot for this rivalry," while the matchup also will "bank on the star power of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and more” (THE ATHLETIC, 12/31).
WINTER CLASSIC TO SOUTH BEACH? FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW's George Richards wrote it is “time for the NHL to start looking at" the Panthers playing a Winter Classic at Marlins Park. Richards: "It is time for the NHL to start looking at some more out-of-the-box venues. ... Why not Miami?" By playing in the winter months, the "humidity will be lower and that is the killer to making quality ice.” But at the domed ballpark near downtown Miami, the "roof can be closed and the air conditioning can run enough to really chill that place down." And, if it is "nice enough on the day of the game, open that roof -- or at least the windows on the east side which face downtown and Biscayne Bay" (FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW, 12/31).
