Where Does the NHL Go Next For Outdoor Games?
During the same weekend that Montreal Canadiens were beaten 5-3 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and lost in overtime to the Ottawa Senators, the NHL staged two outdoor games in a unique setting in the resort town of Stateline, Nevada. The rink itself was staged on the 18th fairway of the golf course at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort. With sparkling Lake Tahoe and the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains as a backdrop, the NHL had a picturesque setting for two regular season games.
NHL at Lake Tahoe
Even without spectators in attendance, it was an ideal launching point for the inaugural NHL Outdoor Series. The games featured the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday and the Philadelphia Flyers versus the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The teams each donned unique Reverse Retro jerseys.
The same weather system that provided spectacular vistas that fans enjoyed on TV created havoc for the icemakers which led to dangerous conditions for the players. After playing one period, the game between the Golden Knights and the Avalanche was delayed for nine hours until it was able to resume.
Goalie’s eye view. #NHLOutdoors pic.twitter.com/G5jnu6OjnC
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) February 18, 2021
It was a gamble for the NHL to bank on the weather particularly in such a sunny locale. But they made the correct decision to halt and postpone the game until conditions improved to ensure the safety of the two teams. Practically every element of play would have been affected, including those of in-game markets at the leading sports betting sites, which https://bonus.ca/ rates and reviews for Canadian bettors. The location of Lake Tahoe didn’t offer any guarantees, neither in climate or ice quality.
Commissioner Gary Bettman explained the NHL’s decision. “We’ve done over 30 games (outdoors) and we’ve never had a problem quite like this,” said Bettman. “We’ve played in some rain, we’ve played in snow, but sunshine has always been our enemy.”
Risk During the Pandemic
With the league struggling to generate revenue in the time of a pandemic, they were looking to garner attention not only from hockey fans but also from sports fans. “Obviously we tried to do something different in an unusual time, try and give our fans something special. The players were excited about it,” said Bettman.
“We’re going to continue to do this, but we always knew and we’ll know going forward that when you play outside and ice is important, the weather conditions can affect whether or not we can play the game. We’ve been lucky to this point and I think we’re all disappointed but the teams have been great. You can’t have success if you don’t risk failure,” concluded Bettman.
The NHL Outdoor game between the Flyers and Bruins set record TV ratings with a total audience delivery of 1.068 million viewers on NBCSN.
Where Should the NHL Go Next?
There is a long list of locations that would make an ideal venue for the next set of NHL Outdoor Games. But let’s suggest two obvious places to start: Lake Louise, Alberta and Lake Placid, New York.
Lake Louise was considered for the inaugural series but provincial government restrictions during the pandemic weren’t able to be overcome. The iconic scene of Lake Louise nestled by the Rocky Mountain range would be stunning. Lake Placid has a lengthy history with USA hockey with the backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains and would be a fitting way to honor memorable moments in the sport.