After all of the preparation, all of the jerseys reveals, all of the videos and posts showcasing just how awesome it looks inside of Wrigley Field, it is all systems go for the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. It is time to play some outdoor hockey.
This has been a long time coming, and the excitement has been building since the opening night of this current season. It is a joyous time as we celebrate another calendar year's turning over and a spectacle that rivals that of a Super Bowl for hockey fans. The Winter Classic is an amazing sight and is circled on the calendars of all kinds of hockey fans, no matter who they hold allegiance to.
Let's preview the game.
Hockey... Outdoors
The posts have been flooding newsfeeds all day today and yesterday, as the Blues and Blackhawks took to the ice for practice on their new rink for today. This game, despite have two teams hovering around the bottom half of the Central Division in the Western Conference, should be a solid matchup.
The Blues, at 17-17-4 for 38 points, and the Blackhawks, at 12-23-2 for 26 points, are still trying to find their footing in 2024-25. As the new year turns, it would likely be the same for the Blackhawks as they are still in their deep rebuilding phase. For the Blues, it is unclear what their trajectory looks like, as they have every opportunity to be a playoff hopeful, but they have to get out of their own way to get there.
The fun thing about this match-up is that this is the first time in the historic yet short history of this series of games outside that this is a rematch. The last time these two teams met, the Blues were victorious in the 2017 rendition of this great game, 4-1. Even though there are only a few remaining members from that game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the historic rivalry should be enough to create some moments of tenacity.
The Blues have yet to lose in this game, as they are 2-0. Chicago is playing in their league-high seventh outdoor game, as they are 1-5.
What are you looking forward to most in this match-up? And Happy New Year from us at Bleedin' Blue!