2015 Winter Classic will be the Capitals and ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

The Chicago Blackhawks (again). I love the Winter Classic. I am glad the Caps will play in it in a beautiful baseball stadium (Nationals Park). But the Hawks again? Really?

Nationals Park will host the 2015 NHL Winter Classic.

Don’t get me wrong -- I understand the need for a strong TV draw -- and the Hawks will provide that. But given the number of teams that have not yet had an outdoor game, this is somewhat disappointing.

NHL should give every team an outdoor home game in 2013-14

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — 

The NHL announced, today, the 2014 Winter Classic will be the same matchup it was supposed to be in 2013. I am glad. I like the idea of seeing Detroit and Toronto playing in the Winter Classic — even moreso now that they’ll be in the same division.

But the more I thought about it, this whole game is wholly unfair to about 24 of the league’s teams — because so many of them will likely never, ever get to play in the Winter Classic.

We’ve seen the logical choices over the first few years. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston, the Flyers, Rangers, Detroit. And yet, so many other franchises — teams that have some great natural rivalries — haven’t had a chance to play outdoors while others, including the Wings — will have played in the Classic twice already.

Here’s what I’d like to see happen in the 2013-14 season.

In addition to the Winter Classic, allow each team, if possible, to have one home game moved outdoors. Then, go back to the once-a-year system. 

In this way, every team — and their fans — will get a chance to experience the thrill of the outdoor game.

Imagine for a moment the Devils hosting the Rangers at MetLife Stadium. Rangers/Islanders at Citi Field. Pens/Flyers at Heinz Field. Canadiens/Leafs at an open Rogers Centre (Skydome).

The excitement these kinds of match-ups would generate would be unprecedented — especially here. Could you just picture 82,000 fans screaming “Rangers suck, Flyers swallow!” at MetLife as much as I detest that chant?

Imagine 82,000 fans at MetLife Stadium getting a chance to heckle Henrik Lundqvist when he lets up a typical soft goal to someone like Steve Bernier?

Imagine 45,000 people screaming “Potvin Sucks!” even though it’s technically an Islanders home game at Citi Field?

What about the warm-weather cities?

You’ll also notice I said “if possible” to the idea. 

Immediately, there will be some who will say it’s impossible to host an outdoor NHL game in the City of Miami — though the ice engineers of the NHL would more than be able to figure out how to do it at SunLife Stadium. Still, I’d understand if there was major concern in places like Miami — or Los Angeles (or Phoenix if they don’t go to Quebec) — where it doesn’t exactly get cold in the winter (though few realize it really DOES get cold in South Florida in the winter — we’ve had countless nights where the temps dropped to the mid-’30s).

So there it is.

Next year, every teams gets an outdoor home game. And it's a great gesture of thanks to hockey fans who, despite the lockout of 2012, are coming back in record numbers in hockey arenas across North America.

Then, quite simply, it can go back to being the outdoor game involving one of the Original Six and/or the Flyers and Penguins.

Gary Bettman wouldn’t have it any other way, right?