Leafs To Play Wings In 2013 Winter Classic
by PPP on Jan 13, 2012 2:00 AM EST
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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings will be playing in the 2013 Winter Classic at the University of Michigan's Big House. Bob McKenzie confirmed as much on TSN's Insider Trading last night in the intermission of the Montreal-Boston game. Since Pierre Gauthier hit the panic button mid-game I expect the announcement to be overshadowed. Here are Bob's quotes:
I can in fact confirm those reports that the NHL's desire is that the Leafs play the Wings at the Big House. It'll be configured for 115k. It's not finalized yet, but by the end of the month there's expected to be a formal announcement. The NHL is well down the road.
To say this is a shock would be a stretch as the rumours have been rampant for a while. I know I was cautious but skeptical because so far the NHL hasn't really given any indication that they wanted Canadian teams to play in the NBC version of an outdoor game but let's not forget that Leafs Nation is legion. The great news: the Big House, in addition to being a really fun name for a stadium, will be configured so that there will be 115,000 seats.
This Winter Classic will be truly amazing.
KICKING OFF A PARTY
I hate to do this but...as per Rosie DiManno (and Brian Burke confirms that the Leafs are pushing hard to host it presumably playing one the road might be a prerequisite), the Leafs are shooting for the moon in the coming years:
Alas, the game won't be in Toronto because there's no suitable outdoor venue, Rogers Centre proving yet again that it's good for absolutely nothing, including baseball. Instead, the shivery mano-a-mano will be staged at Michigan Stadium, the Big House in Ann Arbor, home of University of Michigan, with a seating capacity of 115,000 and site of an outdoor NCAA game in December, 2010.
The Leafs have formally asked for all three marquee events on the hockey calendar next year: Winter Classic, all-star game and NHL draft. Winter Classic in 12 months' time would be first on the agenda, and best odds, even with the Leafs as road invitees.
Be still my heart! Jeff Arnold of Puck Daddy has some great details on the event which notes that the game may be played at Comerica Park but it seems like Option A is the Big House as it should be.
HBO'S 24/7
Brian Burke, in answering questions on Twitter, said that he would not allow the Maple Leafs to take part in a 24/7-type series unless the league mandated it. Given the way that fans have enjoyed the two series to date (PIT v WSH, NYR v. PHI) they would be dumb to not tell the Maple Leafs that it is a mandatory part of participation in the Winter Classic. Now, the real question is whether HBO will want to do a 24/7 starring a Canadian team. I think that the Leafs have enough high profile American ties in Brian Burke, Ron Wilson, Mike Komisarek, and Phil Kessel to get it done.
If they do, who will be the breakout star? If he's still a Maple Leaf, it'll be Mikhail Grabovski. Phil Kessel will be hiding from the camera, Nikolai Kulemin will be making goldfish faces, and Dion Phaneuf will be glaring. But Grabovski? He'll be dropping gems like this one to Mirtle:
Grabovski said the only advice he gives Kulemin is outside of hockey. "But he don't listen to me." What advice is it? "Russian advice."
Or this other gem:
"Like he told me, he did that for me because [Kaleta] hit me," Grabovski said. "I'm happy for that because Russians stay with Russians."
The guy is a lunatic - and that's without mentioning the fact that after some chump in Vancouver attacked him in the Olympics that he basically broke him into a dozen pieces - just take a look at this quote after Zdeno Chara delivered two hits to his head:
"I feel bruise in my eyes," Grabovski told AM640 after the game. "But like I tell it before, it give me more motivation to play harder."
Of course, then he went out and scored this goal:
ALUMNI GAME
The Maple Leafs and Red Wings' rivalry is one that sadly has been mostly killed outside of their rare meetings since the Leafs moved back to the Eastern Conference. You would think that with the two teams so close geographically that there would have been some thought to keeping the matchup alive despite being in different conferences. While the games have been less frequent there haven't lost any of the buzz.
At least the rivalry went out with a bang:
That was the team that the late Pat Burns always said was his favourite team. Check out the 92-93 rosters that both clubs could draw from:
| 1992-1993 Detroit Red Wings | 1992-1993 Toronto Maple Leafs |
|---|---|
| Shawn Burr | Glenn Anderson |
| Jimmy Carson | Dave Andreychuk |
| Tim Cheveldae | Ken Baumgartner |
| Steve Chiasson | Drake Berehowsky |
| Dino Ciccarelli | Bill Berg |
| Paul Coffey | Nikolai Borschevsky |
| Jim Cummins | Wendel Clark |
| Bobby Dollas | John Cullen |
| Dallas Drake | Mike Eastwood |
| Sergei Fedorov | Dave Ellett |
| Gerard Gallant | Mike Foligno |
| Jim Hiller | Grant Fuhr |
| Mark Howe | Todd Gill |
| Sheldon Kennedy | Doug Gilmour |
| Steve Konroyd | Mike Krushelnyski |
| Vladimir Konstantinov | Guy Larose |
| Vyacheslav Kozlov | Sylvain Lefebvre |
| Gord Kruppke | Jamie Macoun |
| Martin Lapointe | Kent Manderville |
| Nicklas Lidstrom | Bob McGill |
| Brad McCrimmon | Dave McLlwain |
| John Ogrodnick | Ken McRae |
| Keith Primeau | Dmitri Mironov |
| Bob Probert | Mark Osborne |
| Yves Racine | Rob Pearson |
| Vincent Riendeau | Felix Potvin |
| Ray Sheppard | Daren Puppa |
| Mike Sillinger | Bob Rouse |
| Chris Tancill | Joe Sacco |
| Dennis Vial | Darryl Shannon |
| Jason York | Dave Tomlinson |
| Paul Ysebaert | Rick Wamsley |
| Steve Yzerman | Peter Zezel |
Then there is the official Detroit Alumni team. Yikes, slim pickings. The Leafs could also pull in players like MATS SUNDIN!!! Curtis Joseph, Chad Kilger (lol), and Bryan McCabe (double lol).
Any way you slice it, this is going to be a must attend event for Leafs fans. I cannot wait.
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OMG OMG OMG OMG
Somebody pinch me!
http://mapleleafshotstove.com/author/mislav-jantoljak/
@Xterratu on twitter
by Mislav Xterratu Jantoljak on Jan 13, 2012 2:03 AM EST reply actions
I just canceled my trip to Japan and now I’m going to Michigan.
Number To Be Honoured After Illustrious Career
@Le_Greener
this rhymes!
http://mapleleafshotstove.com/author/mislav-jantoljak/
@Xterratu on twitter
by Mislav Xterratu Jantoljak on Jan 13, 2012 2:11 AM EST up reply actions
Im pretty sure were all going to Michigan
by pho king awesome on Jan 13, 2012 2:17 AM EST up reply actions
PPP and Chemmy said they’d pay for us!
by pho king awesome on Jan 13, 2012 2:17 AM EST up reply actions
Will they for me pay too?
SL Benfica & Toronto Maple Leafs Sempre
by leafsportugal on Jan 13, 2012 9:03 AM EST up reply actions
sounded like grabo
Will they pay for me too?*
SL Benfica & Toronto Maple Leafs Sempre
by leafsportugal on Jan 13, 2012 9:04 AM EST up reply actions
It’ll have to be him or CuJo. Maybe they’ll split the game.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
You mean that guy who calls himself Chemmy on twitter? Hes just some Felix Potvin imposter. Fuck that guy.
Being a Leafs fan makes me bipolar.
by BlindSight on Jan 13, 2012 2:12 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
2011: Ilya Bryzgalov tells HBO the proper way to kill a Siberian tiger.
2012: Mikhail Grabovski tells HBO the proper way to kill a Hawaiian pineapple.
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Jan 13, 2012 2:30 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
Road Trip.
Edmonton to Ann Arbor. Done and done.
bored at 3 am
Distance from Ann Arbor to Edmonton : 1569.5 Miles
( 2525.9 Kilometers / 1363 Nautical Miles )
Take me with you…..
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Jan 13, 2012 3:15 AM EST up reply actions
i would do anything....
ANYTHING, just to see konstintinov dress one last time. I know he wouldn’t play a shift but it would definitely bring tears to my eyes.
Btw i’m only 10 miles from the big house in lovely Ypsilanti MI, get jelly kids.
by thehurd03 on Jan 13, 2012 3:16 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Man…Just to see Konstatinov in a Red Wings jersey in the crowd would something special.
(PS. I’m a Leafs fan)
"I will actually score as many times as Kulemin assists me."
-Mikhail Grabovski
by MapleLeafMole on Jan 13, 2012 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
The depressing part about reading the rosters from 1992-93 are that three Red Wings players (Chiasson, McCrimmon, Probert), one Leaf (Zezel) and the Leafs coach have all since passed away, while one more Red Wing (Konstantinov) is paralyzed and unable to play.
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Jan 13, 2012 3:19 AM EST reply actions
Yeah
I didn’t comment on it but I noticed the same thing…really sad.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Guys
We will probably get to see Dougie dish it to Wendel again.
Fairweather fans can go to hell
Equal oppurtunity asshole and a proud member of the PPPPP
Follow me on twitter: leafer1984
by leafer1984 on Jan 13, 2012 7:42 AM EST via Android app reply actions 8 recs
Borchevsky with the OT winner again. It’ll be unbeleebabuhl!
TWEET AT ME BRO
DAAAAA BLOG
Leaf fan for life! (No, really. They gave me a no-trade clause when I was born.)
by FiftyMissionCap on Jan 13, 2012 6:43 PM EST up reply actions
Trade Kulemin halfway through to get happy-crazy and sad-crazy Grabbo
In summing up, it's the Constitution, it's Mabo, it's justice, it's law, it's the vibe and... No, that's it, it's the vibe. I rest my case
Grabbo only has one gear, and its crazy.
by Tickle Me Aulie on Jan 13, 2012 11:50 AM EST up reply actions
The thing is, people who call him soft or say that he lacks heart are to me the same prejudiced assholes who say all Russians are soft. It’s prejudism plain and simple, and has nothing to do with watching hockey. If we judged all Russians because of assholes like Yashin we might as well judge all Canadians by assholes like Daigle. Coincidentally, both are former Sens…hmmm.
by Goosemonster on Jan 13, 2012 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
Last night was seriously the best night ever
The mayhem in Montreal and the Leafs getting the winter classic. I’m so thrilled right now. I really really hope I’m able to make my way out there for the game, it would be absolutely unreal
99% of player salaries are payed out to only 1% of players. #OccupyNHL
I'm a Twitter twat.
Nobody is reporting on this, has the NHL confirmed it?
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
Everyone wants to revel in the trainwrecks that are the Habs and Flames.
"They build a statue, they knock it down and piss on it, and now they will be out there building it again."
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Jan 13, 2012 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
Sure they are. Click the links here. It’s on Yahoo and MLive.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Jan 13, 2012 9:11 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
In all seriousness, should i book Hotel rooms now?
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
Only crappy thing is my wife’s birthday is December 31st…..hey hon, how about spending your birthday in Ann Arbor???
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
my birthday is Jan 11th, so i know what I’ll be bugging everyone for Christmas/Birthday
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
Ann Arbor is a cute little college town. Probably not the best city for a big NYE bash, but you could take her out for a nice dinner.
Move along. Nothing to see here...
by Van Ryn's Neurologist on Jan 13, 2012 9:49 AM EST up reply actions
All good suggestions…Hotel room is booked…..we’ll have to have a PPP meeting the day before the game.
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
damn someone already booked that time as vacation.
guess I’ll have to wait to see if i get tickets and play the “I already have these non-refundable tickets” card.
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
Fucking glorious.
Shit was so depresing in leafs nation only 2 yearsa go, this is such a nice turnaround. Thank you Brian Burke.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Jan 13, 2012 10:04 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
What, no “clap clap clapclapclap”?
This space for rant...
by fair_n_hite_451 on Jan 13, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions
1. Dougie, Wendel, Sundin in the legends game.
2. Does this make Toronto a UFA destination this summer?
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Jan 13, 2012 10:12 AM EST via mobile reply actions
1. Yes
2. And yes……now that you say that, if I were the NYR or Flyers I would have been a little upset at the late announcement as they couldn’t use the fact they were in the WC as a carrot to lure in FA’s or get discounts.
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
AND BORJE!!! AND SITTLER! AND KEON AND LANNY AND THE TIGER!!!!
AND ABOVE ALL, NORMIE ULLMAN! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I shot a moose once, in upstate New York.
by not norm ullman on Jan 13, 2012 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
Our goalies should be Potvin, Cujo and Belfour.
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
johnny Bower
Resident Internet Tough Guy
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 13, 2012 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
can we get Gordie Howe to suit up for Detroit?
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
Dude’s like 80, I dont think he can do it.
by Goosemonster on Jan 13, 2012 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
he’ll be there for sure tho even if he can’t actually play
by WizardofNaz on Jan 13, 2012 11:33 AM EST up reply actions
I would love if Bower pulled a Parent, but I dont think he could
Fairweather fans can go to hell
Equal oppurtunity asshole and a proud member of the PPPPP
Follow me on twitter: leafer1984
Maybe Gordie Howe could take a penalty shot on Bower, and then the two of them could just sit for the rest of the game.
by Peter Lynn on Jan 13, 2012 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
eff that I think Gordie with show up and be the best player out there. I bet he still has moves
by WizardofNaz on Jan 13, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Nice.
I shot a moose once, in upstate New York.
by not norm ullman on Jan 13, 2012 2:11 PM EST up reply actions
Tickets will be a lottery. We all need to enter as much as possible and share tix with each other.
Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.
by Chemmy on Jan 13, 2012 10:23 AM EST via mobile reply actions
…..by share you mean scalp extras at 600% mark up right?
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
That’s my understanding of it, yes.
by Tickle Me Aulie on Jan 13, 2012 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
A 600% increase in Chemmy praise may be helpful as well.
by Goosemonster on Jan 13, 2012 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
There going to do a lottery with 115000 tickets…..oh snap……i need those seats!!!
Offizielles Mitglied des Müller / Holzer Fan-Clubs. Ich fordere mehr Deutsche in diesem Team ....... wir brauchen Greiss.
Bulletproof Vests
C’mon folks, it’s not that bad. Now if they go to the “backup” venue and hold it at Comerica park…
(looks out window)
…On second though, kevlar might not be a bad idea.
by gettingcozywithsarkozy on Jan 13, 2012 10:26 AM EST reply actions
Ha!
Navin Vaswani @vaswani_ 3m
@felixpotvin Will you be playing in the alumni game?
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
You do know who Navin is right?
Fairweather fans can go to hell
Equal oppurtunity asshole and a proud member of the PPPPP
Follow me on twitter: leafer1984
no. did i get whooshed?
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
Very much so.
He is better known as his alter ego, eyebleaf
Fairweather fans can go to hell
Equal oppurtunity asshole and a proud member of the PPPPP
Follow me on twitter: leafer1984
Is it wrong that I’m most excited about a Winter Classic Leafs jersey?
by Saint Pats Sundin on Jan 13, 2012 1:30 PM EST reply actions
maybe we'll get a updated version of these ones
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
/\ the ones above your post.
Resident teetotaler married to a habs fan. Who is also not a fan of most dogs.
Match-up I would like to see: Ciccarelli vs Roberts. Two really intense guys.
by Leaf in Habland on Jan 13, 2012 6:38 PM EST reply actions
Leafs at The Big House
I can’t believe that the little troll Bettman honored the desire of the overwhelming majority of us Red Wing fans to host Toronto if we ever got the New Years game. Lacking in a working knowledge of NHL tradition as he is, he must have been otherwise influenced and just had to take it with a grain of salt. We were sure he would try to force Nashville or Phoenix on us, his chosen rivalries for the Wings. They severely limited tickets for the visiting team when we went to Chicago a few years ago but with 110,000 that shouldn’t be a factor this time. How about a weekend home and home like the old days, but outside?
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