Open thread: Winter Classic Alumni Game

Submitted by stephenrjking on
Wasn't expecting to be this hyped, but they just had the Russian 5 on the ice, including Vlady. Wow.
Yzerman. Howe dropping the pick. Grind Line.
The only real problem here is that these guys should be playing the Avalanche alumni. But I guess that could be violent, so this is ok.

Zoltanrules

December 31st, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^

were miced up!  Agreed about misting up when Vladdy was out here with the Russian 5, Yzerman, Lidstrom, et. al. Just a great event bringing back so many memories.

GoBlue0420

December 31st, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^

It should be Wings-Avs, but it's really cool seeing all these former wings players. Fedorov and Lidstrom can still play for the current wings if they want to.

clarkiefromcanada

December 31st, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^

There was an era when the Avs of Claude Lemieux and Patrick Roy/Joe Sakic mattered but Leafs / Wings is generations of rivalry.



As a kid the table hockey sets here were Habs/Leafs but the sticker set you could buy to cover the Habs was the Wings.

stephenrjking

December 31st, 2013 at 6:25 PM ^

I have no real objection to the Leafs being here; in fact, my Dad is from Toronto and I've followed a lot of these guys, and my family and I have a healthy rivalry here. I watched game 7 in '93 in Toronto with them, sort of a great experience kinda.

It's just that with guys like Osgood and the grind line and Shanny and Dino, you feel like they really should be facing down Roy and Foote and Farceberg again.

Canadian

December 31st, 2013 at 8:11 PM ^

Avs have only been around for what 20 years? Yes there was a heated rivalry but you weren't going to get nearly the amount of people traveling from Denver as you are from Toronto/London/Windsor. Hell all the highway stops on the 401 (highway that runs from Windsor up through Toronto) are covered in leafs shit. Just across the border in Windsor and Essex county we are nearly split down the middle, half Red Wings fans and half idiots. Tomorrow you have two of the largest NHL fan bases meeting up in Ann Arbor to celebrate the game we love.

I Bleed Maize N Blue

December 31st, 2013 at 6:53 PM ^

Kudos to Kocur for weaing Probie's jersey during intros.  Great to see Vladdie with Fetisov, Larionov, Federov & Kozlov.  Nice touch by Bowman to start the Russian Five with Doug Brownov.

Great pass by Mickey Redmond to set up Federov.  I didn't know he had a Russian hat with Redmondov on there.

I get people feeling the past rivalry with the Avs, but for me this was an Original Six and old Norris division showdown.  Really missed this an other Original Six matchups when the Wings got moved to the West.

Really glad Stevie Y made it.  Good to see so many of the alumni, including the Grind Line.

Another nice touch by Bowman putting Homer first in the shootout, and holy shit, where'd he get that move for the game winner?!

Canadian

December 31st, 2013 at 7:59 PM ^

Fuck that was awesome. I don't care who you are there is no way anyone could convince me those guys didn't have a good time out there. And the fans, albeit freezing their asses off, had a good time too. This is why hockey continues to be played outdoors. The players like it the fans like it and tv likes it.