To Detroit.

In five Winter Classic games, the Western Conference has only hosted one. That came in 2009 when the Detroit Red Wings bested the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 at Wrigley Field. The other four games have all been intra-conference matchups with Eastern Conference teams. Logically, the NHL and NBC should go back West. And Detroit would be the perfect spot to do it.

Cold, gray, and one of the most successful NHL franchises of the past two decades, Detroit would be the perfect setting for the next NHL Winter Classic. Plus, the NHL would have their pick of venues for the annual contest. If they wanted to stay within the confines of the city, Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, would be a perfect place to set up shop. However, if the NHL really wanted to go big and continue to raise the stakes, they would move west just down the freeway and take the game to Michigan Stadium where they could cram in more than 100,000 spectators while playing the game on one of the most storied football fields in college football history.

So now you have the Detroit Red Wings involved, one of the most popular NHL franchises in recent history, along with one of the biggest venues in the nation. So who does the NHL choose to bring in as an opponent for this event? While the NHL certainly has their pick of the litter, two teams immediately come to mind: San Jose and Toronto.

The Sharks have been a thorn in the side of the Red Wings for several seasons now. The teams have met in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and both times the Sharks defeated the Wings. Both teams are highly skilled, puck-possession teams with big name talent on their rosters. Plus, finally bringing in a West-coast team could garner the game more attention from West coast fans that have thus far had no reason to really tune into the game.

The other opponent could be the Toronto Maple Leafs and, all things considered, this is the most likely. Not only would a Toronto-Detroit matchup bring together two Original Six teams for one of the biggest NHL events of the year, but it would also finally get a Canadian team involved in the matchup. Plus, Toronto is a four-hour drive to Detroit and tons of fans would be willing to make the trek. The arena would easily be just as many Maple Leafs fans as Red Wings fans.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refuses to tip his hand as to whom the next host city and opponent could be, but what he has said might indicate that Detroit could be in the running for the game.

“My guess is it will be played in a place we have not been before,” Bettman said. “So, therefore, in the U.S., you’ve eliminated five locations. You can play with the other 25, play with geography and understand that temperature is a factor…You can eliminate some of the warmer climates. We are not probably going to go back to where we have been.”

That statement also leaves Minnesota, Winnipeg, Toronto, Columbus, New Jersey and several other cities in the running for the game as well. But none of those teams would be as big of a draw as the Red Wings, and none of those host cities could offer a location like The Big House where they could cram in more than 100,000 spectators – something that even Leafs forward Nazem Kadri wants to be a part of.

I think at the Michigan stadium — what does it hold, like 100,000-plus?” said Kadri. “That would be a ridiculous game to be a part of. It would be a dream come true.”

What do you think? Which matchups do you most want to see for next year’s NHL Winter Classic?

But enough chit chat about the game, the picture of the sticks are below. Not certain if these will become available to the public or possibly a special purchase for only a select period of time, but take a look and let us know what you think.

The NHL will hold a press conference next Monday afternoon to officially announce the event. The league will also announce that the two teams will be involved in an HBO 24/7 series, much like Pittsburgh and Washington last season.

This is the fifth straight year for the Winter Classic, and the fourth event to feature Eastern Conference teams. The only Winter Classic to feature Western Conference teams took place in Chicago in 2009 when the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings in an Original Six rivalry matchup.

This will be the second time the Flyers will play in the Winter Classic. The team played the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park in Boston in 2010.

This year’s game will take place on Jan. 2 instead of New Year’s Day in order to avoid a conflict with a full schedule of Sunday football games.

You can now purchase the Winter Classic CCM U+ Cl at IceWarehouse for $599.99.

What do you guys think of Ovechkin’s Winter Classic CCM U+ CL?

Alexander Ovechkin Custom Winter Classic Skates - CCM U+ CL

The warm front will begin on Thursday when temperatures rise to approximately 41 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the forecast, temperatures will peak on Saturday at 48 degrees with a 50 percent chance of rain. The average temperature in Pittsburgh on Januray 1 is roughly 30 degrees.

If the unseasonably warm weather and rain appear to be too much for the outdoor game on Saturday, there is good news on the horizon. Temperatures are expected to drop right back down to the freezing point at 32 degrees on Sunday with a 20 percent chance of precipitation. While the NHL is confident that their ice-making technology can handle the rising temperatures, Sunday could be a viable option for a make-up if Saturday’s weather doesn’t cooperate. However, that creates a new slew of conflicts in terms of TV coverage since NBC is set to carry the last weekend of the NFL’s regular season this weekend. Most likely the game will be played on Saturday, even if it has to be in not-so-perfect conditions. The NHL may also opt to postpone the game several hours in hopes that temperatures will drop when the sun goes down. If the temperature drops enough, it should essentially nullify the rain since the rain will freeze when it hits the ice.

The puck is scheduled to drop at 1 p.m. EST with NBC carrying national coverage for the game.

If you don’t have tickets for the event but were hoping to attend, make sure you have enough money left over from your holiday shopping as you’ll need to shell out a hefty amount to afford a second-hand ticket. According to StubHub.com, a second-hand ticket seller where fans can sell their tickets online for a price of their choosing, the cheapest seats are selling for $250 per ticket. The most expensive? One seller has tickets listed for $11, 765 per ticket in section 239 – which doesn’t even appear to be an ideal location. Most tickets in some of the closer sections are priced anywhere between $500 and $1,000 per ticket depending on the section.

The series offers in-depth access and never-before-seen-footage of players, coaches and staff as both teams prepare to meet on New Year’s Day at the NHL Winter Classic. The premiere episode follows the Penguins as they ride an amazing 12-game winning streak while the Capitals try to figure out how to break out of their current losing streak and get back to their winning ways. Besides the triumphs and tribulations of both teams, viewers are afforded the chance to see players in their homes, at practice and in the locker rooms between periods. For a complete breakdown of the episode, check out Eddie’s review that he posted last week.

New episodes of the show can be seen every Wednesday night on HBO at 10 pm.

Washington's uniforms for the Winter Classic

This week the Pittsburgh Penguins unveiled their uniforms for this season’s Winter Classic. This is the second time Sidney Crosby and his team has appeared in the New Year’s Day showcase event. Last time, it was the first Winter Classic where they traveled to Buffalo and played against the Sabres. In comparing the uniforms to the 2008 game, I like the 2008 ones better. They had more of a historical background to it as they were similar jerseys when they first entered the NHL. The jerseys for this year features bits and pieces of jerseys used through their history. I’m not a big fan of the blue striping on the bottom, it looks like I’m getting ready to watch Michael Phelps swim laps in a pool versus a hockey jersey. All that’s missing is flopping penguins inside the striping.

The game is being played in Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would not have complained if they went to a uniform during the Mario Lemieux era when they wore black and gold to play off the colors of the Steelers and the color scheme of the stadium.

Malkin showing off the Pittsburgh uniform for the Winter Classic

However, I do like the Capital’s uniforms. It does back to the uniform used pretty much until the mid-90′s when they switched over to the flying eagle/capital building logo. The Cap’s went back to the Mike Gartner/Dale Hunter days where ther logo was simple. Washington unveiled their uniforms for the game October 2. Advantage: Washington.

What are your thoughts on the jerseys?

Speaking of NBC, I’d be willing to bet they had a hand in this as they only recognize eight teams: Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Boston.

Sidney and Alex will get the chance to duke it out at the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.

I am kinda happy/kinda upset about this. We knew a Crosby-Ovechkin Winter Classic was on the horizon. This game has everything you need in a “one game showcase” of the NHL: recognizable names of Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and Green. I’m actually more inclined to watch because I know Michigan State won’t be playing on New Year’s Day.  But how can the Penguins get to play in a second outdoor game before Original Six franchises New York and Toronto? Those fan bases, as well as perhaps the Canucks have legitimate beef of why they are being left out of the mix. It could perhaps be because those franchises don’t have marketable players (even Vancouver- Roberto Lulongo doesn’t count. You can’t see his face through a goalie mask) or because they simply aren’t good enough to contend on a year-to-year basis.

If you do want to put money on the Caps playing for the Stanley Cup next season, you should do so. Each season of the Winter Classic, the road participant has played for the Stanley Cup that season. Just ask the Penguins, Red Wings, and now Flyers. In addition, TSN is reporting there will be a second Winter Classic next season. Montreal will travel to Calgary in February to take on the Flames at McMahon Stadium.

Sutherland, who currently stars as action hero Jack Bauer on the hit television series 24, came out for his appearance on the Late Show with david Letterman sporting a green dress that looked more like wallpaper than an item of clothing. The reason for his ensamble?

“I lost a bet,” Sutherland admitted to Letterman at the start of the interview, stating that he bet that New England would win their NFL playoff game. And who did Sutherland lose the bet to? None other than former NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup winner Dave Andreychuck.

Andreychuck played in the NHL for 26 seasons and amassed 640 goals and 698 assists during his career. He won the Stanley Cup as captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04 after playing in the NHL for 22 seasons without winning a Cup. Subsequently, that victory would be the only Stanley Cup victory of his career. Andreychuck holds the record for most career power play goals with 270 and sits at 5th on the all-time games played list with 1,639.

Sutherland has also starred in movies such as The Three Musketeers, A Time to Kill, L.A. Confidential, A Few Good Men and Phone Booth. He is known to be a big hockey fan and even plays hockey himself. On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon a few weeks back, Sutherland spoke about how he played in a charity hockey game on the outdoor rink built at Fenway Park for the Winter Classic. The event was organized by former NHL superstar Cam Neely and fellow actor Dennis Leary and raised over $500,000. Sutherland is also close friends with former NHL great Wayne Gretzky.