Up Close and Personal With Dan Rosen of NHL.com

This week NHL Digest was honored to have interviewed hockey journalist, Dan Rosen, from NHL.com.  Dan grew up in Northern New Jersey and studied journalism at the University of Arizona.  He worked at various papers as journalist for 7 years prior to joining the NHL last October.  Please enjoy getting to know the man behind the keyboard at NHL.com!

Do you think Sundin has a shot at winning a Stanley Cup with the Canucks? And, how do you think the Canucks feel about being Sundin’s second choice to the Rangers?

I’ll actually answer the second part first. I don’t think the Canucks feel much, if anything in regards to that because it has never been stated as a fact that Sundin did in fact favor the Rangers over them. I know it can be construed that way because Sundin didn’t immediately take a huge sum of money from Vancouver on July 1 and that he waited and waited and waited to find out what the Rangers plans were going to be to acquire him. Believe me, I see that side of the argument. However, why would the players on the Canucks care? They have him now and they know Sundin wouldn’t be there if his heart wasn’t in it.

In a way, he has a lot to prove, which leads to the first part of your question. Yes, I think he has a shot at winning the Cup with the Canucks. You always have a shot if Roberto Luongo is your goalie. That being said, I can’t sit here today and tell you that he will win the Cup with Vancouver. I still think the Red Wings are the favorite. I mean, how can they not be? I do think Vancouver is better off with Sundin than without him, which of course means he has a shot.

Did the Dallas Stars do the right thing by ridding themselves of Sean Avery? And, do you think Sean Avery will ever play in the National Hockey League again?

The answer to both questions is yes. For one, I think it was pretty obvious that Avery had a negative influence on the players in that dressing room. You have some established vets in there like Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow, Stephane Robidas, Brad Richards, Sergei Zubov, Marty Turco, Jere Lehtinen and Mike Ribiero. They didn’t need or want the sideshow that Avery brings wherever he goes. So, by taking Avery out of the mix, the Stars can now become a close knit group again. It’s showing. They beat Toronto, 8-2, in their last game before Christmas. Prior to the holiday, they had gone four straight without losing in regulation. I see it turning around there.

And, secondly, yes I do think Avery will find his way back into the League, probably next year provided the Stars can figure out what to do with his contract. I do not think he will play in Dallas and it will have to be a team in need of a jolt or a spark. I’m thinking Columbus, Atlanta, the New York Islanders, if you can believe that, or perhaps the Colorado Avalanche. I can’t say for sure this will happen. I do wonder if and when he comes back if he will put on the good boy behavior or will he be the same Sean. If he toes the line, I’m fine with that. Bad boys can be good for the game, too. If he jumps over the line, he needs to be disciplined. There’s no place in the sport for that.

What is your opinion of Sidney Crosby’s “low blows” on Boris Valabik of the Atlanta Thrashers? Do you think he should be punished by the league?

Tough question. Is it heat of the moment, wailing away with no disregard? Or, was it pre-meditated? I’m going to have to say it was heat of the moment and Crosby was wailing away with no disregard, but that doesn’t make it any better. There are certain body parts that should be, um, off limits. I think we know that is one of them. Every guy can attest to that. Every girl should attest to that or guys should run away from them. I don’t think Crosby should be punished by the League for the infraction, but I do agree with the roughing penalty. He was the third guy in to the melee. I don’t like it. It hurts to watch it. But, is it finable or suspendable? I’m not too sure about that.

Who do you think is the favorite to win the Calder trophy in 2008-2009?

Derick Brassard was at or near the top of my list for most of the season until now. Poor guy dislocated his shoulder in a fight with James Neal of Dallas and will be out for the year. Why was he fighting? I don’t know. However, I don’t see how you can overlook Drew Doughty in Los Angeles. Aren’t defenseman supposed to be late bloomers? Aren’t they supposed to take a while to develop? Doughty looks like he’s been in the League for five years already. He’s the Kings’ ice time leader by more than a minute. I mean, that’s unbelievable. It’s incredible. He’s been excellent despite being thrown right into the fire. I think Doughty is the guy to watch from here on out, but of course don’t take your eyes off of Columbus goalie Steve Mason either. He may struggle because of the Jackets’ defense, but Mason is the real deal.

Growing up in Northern New Jersey, have you always been a hockey fan?

Absolutely. My first hockey game I ever went to was on Feb. 28, 1988, the day before my 10th birthday, at what was then called Brendan Byrne Arena and later re-named Continental Airlines Arena. The New Jersey Devils beat the Minnesota North Stars, 8-6. It was my birthday party and it was awesome. I was already a Devils fan at the time, but after going to that game I was hooked. I went to Game 6 of the 1988 Patrick Division Semifinals at the Byrne Arena with my dad to see the Devils win the series over the Islanders with a 6-5 victory. Again, it was amazing. I remember seeing Wayne Gretzky come to town with the Los Angeles Kings. I also remember screaming a profanity his way – I was maybe 12 or 13 years old – and my mom told me to sit down and shut up. Of course, she said it in a motherly, very nice way. I grew up a Devils fan and I still root for them, but it’s a little different working in this field now. The good thing is that in my office we have a great group of hockey guys, some of which are Flyers’ fans. That sparks up a good rivalry between the Devils fans and the Flyers fans. It brings the passion for my team back. It’s great stuff.

Of all of the hockey articles you have written, which one(s) has been your favorite?

I may think I have written a lot, but then I look at guys like John Dellapina, who used to cover the Rangers for the New York Daily News and now works for the NHL as the media relations director, and Tom Gulitti of The Record (Hackensack, NJ) and I think I have a long way to go. I’ve gotten to know guys like Pierre Lebrun, Scott Burnside, Jim Matheson, Mark Spector, Dave Stubbs, etc. Those guys have done way more than me. I’m only 30 years old. I’ve got a long way to go.

However, to answer your question, I’d have to say I have a few favorites. The first article I ever wrote relating to the NHL was back in the 2002-03 season when I was still at The Record and I filled in for Tom Gulitti on a Devils’ practice. I wrote about Scott Gomez and the sports editor at the time liked it enough to give me a few more shots filling in for Tom. I ended up covering the Devils’ entire run to the 2003 Stanley Cup championship alongside Tom, traveling to Boston, Tampa, Ottawa and Anaheim. It was an incredible experience. Two more of my favorites came last season when I wrote about Alex Ovechkin, who is presently my favorite professional athlete. I wrote about Ovechkin using his late brother, Sergei, as his inspiration to get to the NHL. I also wrote about Ovechkin the day before he made his playoff debut. I was at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex for practice that Thursday morning and Alex was the first guy on the ice, taking a twirl and shooting the puck into the boards because the goals weren’t even out yet. The Zamboni was still on the ice. He was so restless. He was so ready. Those are some of my favorites, but of course covering the Winter Classic and Stanley Cup Final last year was amazing, too.

As a journalist, what are your thoughts on Bloggers being awarded press credentials?

It’s a really tough call because sometimes bloggers can do everything they do from their own couch. Sometimes there is simply no need for them to be in the locker room. It’s a muddy area, though. If a blogger is reporting the news and has established a business for himself or herself in doing so, then I think he or she has the right to be there. They have to show proof of that, though. They have to show that they aren’t just there to slam on the coach or a few players, or they aren’t just there to play favorites. That’s just not journalism, at least not good journalism, and it ruins it for us real journalists.
The Rangers credential Dubi Silverstein of Blueshirt Bulletin. I know Dubi well and he’s a great guy. What’s great about Dubi is he’s objective even though the Rangers are clearly his favorite team, and he also puts out a newsletter for fans every month. So, while he may just be blogging off the games, he is contributing in another way, too.

If a blogger is going to enhance the coverage of the team and the sport like Dubi, I’m all for it. However, that blogger has to show proof of legitimate journalism.

Do you use social media to interact with hockey fans and/or get ideas for columns?

I get e-mails all the time and I always make it a point to respond unless the e-mailer has some nasty things to say about me. That has happened on more than one occasion, believe me. So, I talk to fans via e-mail and we also have a social interacting web-site on NHL.com called NHL Connect. It’s a place for fans to talk via their own blogs. I have a blog on NHL Connect as well. Hey, I’m a fan, right? I’m not on Connect all the time, but I certainly check it out and can get pertinent information or story ideas from it. Nobody knows more about their team than the fans. They are the ones that are intimately involved with their favorite club. I need to be listening to them considering I write for them. They are my audience.

Who is your favorite hockey player of all time and why?

The guys I work with would say it’s Ovechkin, but he’s not quite there yet. He’s  close, but I’d still have to say it’s Scott Stevens for how he played the game and respected the game. If you know the story of Stevens, you know that he was a hot shot youngster with the Washington Capitals who liked to pile up the points without caring too much about how many penalty minutes came with them.

He learned over time that is not the way he was going to last a long time in this League, so when he got to New Jersey he changed with the system and became arguably the best, if not one of the best, shutdown, physical blue-liners in the history of the game. I loved his tenacity. I loved his physicality. I will always remember him crushing Slava Kozlov and then warning Dino Ciccarelli, “You’re next.” People will say his hits weren’t legal. They were. They were just really hard and really good. Eric Lindros knows.

If you could sit down for dinner and talk hockey with anyone, who would it be and why?

It wouldn’t be a player, a coach, or a manager. I would want to sit down with Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and talk puck over a good meal. To me, there is nobody in the game with a better knowledge of its history. He’s basically an encyclopedia for names, dates, goals, games, championships, etc. I have talked hockey with Doc before, but not to the extent I would like to. He is one of the nicest men in the business and always willing to share stories. He’s seen so much from the broadcaster’s booth so to me there is no better brain to pick than his. Of course, if I wanted to talk strategy I would have said Gretzky or Scotty Bowman or Bobby Orr. I don’t want to talk strategy. I want to talk about the game, the stories within the game, the history of the game, the current state of the game, etc. Doc’s my man, plus I get to listen to his voice and that’s pretty darn cool, too.

I would personally like to thank Dan Rosen and NHL.com for thier cooperation in with this interview.  Please check out Dan’s blog on NHL Connect and his feature columns on NHL.com.

Brett Sutter Scores in First NHL Game

Many hockey folks, including myself, thought that Brett Sutter was simply getting an early Christmas present from his Dad, GM of the Calgary Flames, called his son up from Quad City to suit up for the Flames on December 23, 2008. As a further gift, Brett was placed on a line with veteran Craig Conroy and David Moss.

Well, it appears that Brett decided to return the favor as he provided his Dad and the Flames with a much needed game-tying goal in the first NHL game of his young professional career. At 3:59 into the third period, Brett Sutter scored to make it 3-3 and the Flames went on to a 4-3 win over Anaheim.

Brett’s first remark about scoring the first NHL goal of his career with father Daryl looking on – “I might be able to get a smile out of him for the first time in a while,” Brett joked of his notoriously dour dad.

The 21-year-old center was called up from the AHL Quad City Flames on Monday after having scored just one goal with QC in 28 games. He had four goals in 75 games with the Quad City last season.

Hockey Volunteer Warming Hearts Around The World

Adam Sherlip, formerly responsible for digital marketing and amateur hockey development for the New York Islanders, is now following his inner philanthropist. Adam endeavors to teach hockey to children in all parts of the globe and immerse himself in the culture of sport. Please follow Adam on his charitable adventure around the world at his blog, hockeyvolunteer.blogspot.com. This is Adam’s story.

So, you’re sitting at the arena watching your favorite team play terrible hockey.

The fans around you are shouting detailed and violent profanities at a roster of overpaid, under-performing athletes, some of which have questionable reputations.

The players are spending more time staring at the door in the penalty box than they are on the sheet of frozen, painted water.

When they’re on the ice, they’re beating the guys in the opposing color until they’re red with blood.

It’s hard to see why anyone would enjoy this sport.

One of those fans is a hockey dad with his kids wearing their youth hockey jersey, and you can only image how intense he is when his kid is playing hockey—forcing his child to play, arguing with the coach, believing he has greater (rather, no) coaching experience, making deals with youth clubs, and taking all of the fun out of the game.

This is the type of situation that drags the entire sport of hockey down, and it’s something myself and many others are passionately trying to change.

Two years ago, I was hired by the New York Islanders to handle a well-intended, decently covered initiative called Project Hope —a youth hockey development program in northeastern China—directed at the time by Team USA star Angela Ruggiero (three-time Olympic medalist, all-time games-played leader, top defensive player, great person).

Almost two years to the day, I assisted her in running the Project Hope Invitational in New York, hosting one of our teams from China to play against three teams from the New York area.

A few weeks later, Angela and I visited Heilongjiang Province to see the kids at the schools in which Project Hope installed outdoor rinks, and my life officially changed for the better.

Traveling to the opposite side of the world teaching kids hockey was one of the most memorable experiences in my life to date, and mostly because of the epiphany that hockey has a culture and a language unto itself that transcends borders and the differences we may have off the ice. Furthermore, in order to succeed at the sport, everyone involved has to conform to the culture of the game.

So what is the culture of hockey?

Simply put—teamwork, sportsmanship, accountability, physicality.

At its core, hockey is the most sportsmanlike game in the world. “Adam, what about the fighting and the checking?” you say? Checking allows players to knock another player off the puck to gain control, as well as intimidate your opponents with your physical prowess, a trait that is as ingrained in mammalian behavior as reproduction. Fighting, outside of the sheer enjoyment or disgust one may have, is a way to keep honor and accountability to a game that sometimes can get emotional.

If you are looking for a great cause that involves spreading hockey culture around the world, then please investigate Adam’s journey further at his hockey volunteer blog.

From Player to Coach With Scott Arniel

This week Neil Bristow sits down with former NHL player and Manitoba Moose Head Coach Scott Arniel.

Neil Bristow – You are now in your third season as Head Coach of the Manitoba Moose. You spent 4 seasons as an assistant coach of the Buffalo Sabres. Do you see yourself going after vacant NHL coaching positions in the near future or would you like some more time in the AHL?

Scott Arniel – I still think I have lots to learn and experience as a Head Coach and I’m in no rush to get back. In saying that I will certainly look at any and all opportunities that are out there. I think it is very important that you align yourself with a G.M. that you have a history with and someone that has a lot of the same beliefs on the type of team and style of play that you want to play. Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff were a great example of that in Buffalo.

Neil Bristow – What are some of your greatest memories from your time as assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres?

Scott Arniel – The biggest highlight for me was coming out of the lock-out year and being ahead of the curve compared to a lot of teams in the N.H.L. We as an organization prepared for the salary cap that we thought was coming and also all the new rule changes that were going to be in effect. We built our team into a high tempo, skating team with some good veterans plus a good mix of youth. It’s great to watch them play today and still see a competitive, youthful, exciting team. Also, the opportunity to coach some great players that helped me to improve on my Coaching abilities.

Neil Bristow – Being from Winnipeg myself, I was quite surprised when Winnipeg built the MTS Centre at such a small seating capacity even under NHL seating capacity standards. Do you feel the city could support a NHL franchise? Do you think Winnipeg will see NHL Hockey again?

Scott Arniel- Actually I think the MTS Center does fit the size standards for venues in the NHL, and yes if given another opportunity like Minnesota and Colorado I think the fans and the corporate community would do everything they could to make it work here. In saying all that I don’t think it could work right now under the current salary cap, I feel that number would have to drastically be reduced for it to be feasible, but yes one day I do see the NHL back in Winnipeg.

Neil Bristow- What have been your highlights of being a head coach for the Manitoba Moose and what have been the low lights of the position?

Scott Arniel – Every day coming to work and the challenges that are brought forth from each day makes doing this job a highlight in itself. Winning games and seeing players improve on a daily basis is very gratifying, but I get big thrill when watching players get called up to the NHL and have success and see them fulfill there dreams. Certainly losing in the play-offs is a huge disappointment, but it’s what drives you to improve as a coach to be better the following year.

Neil Bristow – You have had the opportunity to coach some world class players in your time in the NHL and the AHL. Who do you say is the most talented player you have had the chance to coach and why?

Scott Arniel – Chris Drury, I’m not sure if he was the most talented of all the players I’ve coached but he was the most determined and driven player that I’ve had the pleasure of being around. His leadership qualities are second to none and a large reason why the teams he’s been associated with have had great success.

Neil Bristow – You played in 730 NHL games in your career with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. What would be the “greatest moment” from your playing days?

Scott Arniel – I’m sure like a lot of players it’s playing that 1st. NHL game, of finally having all the sacrifice and hard work pay-off and to have the opportunity to play with great players and friends along the way.

Neil Bristow – Out of all the players on your current roster on the Moose, who do you see making the biggest impact in the near future with the parent club the Vancouver Canucks?
And what should fans expect from this player?

Scott Arniel – It’s tough to pick one, but to have Edler, Hansen, Brown, Raymond, Schneider and Jaffray all play roles with the Canucks and help them have success is great to see.

Neil Bristow -With every job there is always mistakes on the job when you go into something new. Becoming the Head Coach of the Manitoba Moose do you have any stories you can share with our readers of any learning mistakes you made as you adjusted to the role of Head Coach of an AHL Franchise?

Scott Arniel- The first couple of months on the job with the Moose was a real eye opener as a coach. You come into the job thinking you have all the right tactics and strategy to instantly have success, but I soon realized certain things wouldn’t work with that team or I didn’t have the type of team needed to play the way I envisioned. I learned very quickly that I had to make adjustments and figure out what worked best with group of players that I had at that particular time.

Neil Bristow – The Dallas Stars have a partial affiliation with the Manitoba Moose. What are your thoughts on Sean Avery ever possibly playing for your club? How would you as a head coach handle a player like Sean Avery in the dressing room if it was ever to happen?

Scott Arniel – I don’t see Sean Avery ever playing for the Moose. He is a good NHL player that has a problem that he is going to have to rectify and, until he does, will have a hard time finding a team to play for. In saying that I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Sean in the NHL. As a coach you can never allow one individual to become larger than the group, and if the individual doesn’t buy into the team concept then he loses his right to be on the team. Good teams make good people, good people make good teams.

Neil Bristow – You played on the Gold medal winning Canadian Junior Hockey team in 1982.
What are some of your best memories from that tournament that you can share?

Scott Arniel – It was the first year that Hockey Canada put in the National Program bringing players in from all over Canada, so it was special to part of something new. Winning the first gold medal ever for Canada was a tremendous experience but my fondest memory was singing the National Anthem after we won because some-one had forgotten to have it available. It is great to see that tradition continue today when ever Canada wins.

Neil Bristow – Every kid grows up thinking of scoring a goal in the NHL. Can you tell us about scoring your first NHL goal and how you did it and against whom?

Scott Arniel – My 1st. goal was against the Detroit Red Wings, a Dave Christian shot that I deflected by Eddie Mio.

Neil Bristow – Goal or No Goal in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final?

Scott Arniel – “No Goal” foot in the crease.
(Re: Brett Hull)

NHL Digest would like to say thanks to Scott and wish him and the Manitoba Moose nothing but success this season and beyond.

http://www.moosehockey.com/

If you are in or around Winnipeg, we encourage you to take in a Moose game at the new MTS Centre.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to reach Neil at theneilshow (at) shaw (dot) ca

I encourage feedback on interviews in the comments section as well.

From Player to Coach With Kevin Dineen

This week Neil Bristow talks with Kevin Dineen . Dineen is a former National Hockey League Player and current Head Coach of the Portland Pirates – the American Hockey League affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

Neil Bristow – If you were to compare Nathan Gerbe to a current NHL player, who does he remind you of?

Kevin Dineen – Nathan is a very unique player.  High skill set great set of hands and speed to go with it.  He goes to the hard places and is fearless.  Andy McDonald would be a good comparison or Brian Gionta.

Neil Bristow – Marek Zagrapan has been in the Sabres system for a few years now. Marek hasn’t played all that much up with the big club. What does Marek need to do to make the push and get into a Sabres uniform?

Kevin Dineen – Marek is still working on rounding out his complete game.  Playing hard at both ends, defensive responsibilities including face-offs, and taking advantage of his high offensive skill set.

Neil Bristow – You represented the NHL in 1987 in the Rendez-Vous ’87 against the Soviet Union. What was favorite memory from that historic series?

Kevin Dineen – Representing the NHL in the Quebec series was an incredible experience as this was the first time I had been part of a team that had the best players in the NHL playing against the Soviet Union.  A great memory.

Neil Bristow – You spent a incredible 18 seasons in the NHL with The Blue Jackets,Ottawa,Philly and Carolina/Hartford Whalers then got your coaching start in Portland in the American Hockey League. What has been your biggest transition from being a NHL player to a head coach?

Kevin Dineen – I was able to work with the Bluejackets in player development for two years so this gave me a great advantage to look at the game through the eyes of management as Doug McLean included me in many decisions and made my transition to coaching much easier.

Neil Bristow – Jhonas Enroth is a highly touted goalie prospect playing for you in Portland. Can you tell us some of Jhonas’s strengths in net and will Sabres fans see him in Buffalo within the next two years backing up Ryan Miller?

Kevin Dineen- Jhonas will play in the NHL at some time given his game readiness, meaning he practices hard, is strong under pressure and is a big save goalie.

Neil Bristow – You scored 355 times at the NHL level, out of those 355 which goal stands out in your mind the most and could you tell is a little bit about it?

Kevin Dineen – Your first and last are always big but I had two in overtime in two playoff series. One, a deflection vs. Andy Moog and the Boston Bruins and the other against Patrick Roy with Montreal.  Both great memories.

Neil Bristow – What are your thoughts on the Buffalo Sabres using video as a scouting process and in your mind is it working this far? Or do you prefer the “older” scouting process?

Kevin Dineen- I have learned so much and been exposed to Buffalos scouting and the easy availability to seeing players in different strengths throughout both the NHL and AHL.  You have thorough knowledge of the league and are a good balance to having actual scouts at the games.

Neil Bristow -Who taught you the most on becoming a successful coach and why?

Kevin Dineen – I grew up around a successful coach with my dad’s WHA teams in Houston and the Hartford Whalers ; so he set a great example to get the most out of each player.

Neil Bristow – Portland is off to a good start considering the affiliate change with the Sabres. In 27 games, you have a 15-9-1-2 record this far. Is there any area in your team’s play you would like to improve?

Kevin Dineen – Every day we try to improve in some area.  Some days it is the power play and others it is Defensive Zone coverage.  So it varies and important to keep a proper balance between system and individual teaching

Neil Bristow – From your playing days to the NHL game now. What are the biggest changes in players today from what you saw in your NHL career?

Kevin Dineen- Players conditioning and preparation is maximized now.  Buffalo employs a strength and conditioning coach both in Buffalo and Portland.

Neil Bristow – Thomas Vanek is lighting up the NHL with goals and is on a torrent pace and is a major talent. Of the players on the Portland roster right now, is there another player close to having “Vanek like” upside?

Kevin Dineen -Mark Mancari has gotten off to a great start and has a heavy shot where he can score from most places on the offensive zone.

I would personally  like to thank Kevin for speaking with us at NHL Digest.

Please check up on Kevin and the Pirates at  their website http://www.portlandpirates.com/

If you have any comments or questions on this interview feel free to reach Neil at- theneilshow  (at) shaw (dot) ca.

The Winter Classic With NHL’s Schuyler Baehman

NHL Digest recently had the honor of picking the mind of the man responsible for all of the great communication strategies from the National Hockey League.  Schuyler Baehman is the Manger of Communications for the NHL and one of the minds behind the great marketing and communications that we are witnessing from the league this season.

Mr. Baehman has taken a great amount of time and effort to provide us with some very insightful and revealing commentary on the National Hockey League, so please enjoy the interview.

As Manager of Communications for the NHL, what have been your main priorities for the 2008-2009 season?

My job remains the same every day of every season – to raise awareness of the National Hockey League and its players through media relations.  The amazing men who play the game at its highest level, and the legion of men and women off the ice, be they fans, family, team/League employees or otherwise make it enjoyable job.

We have seen vast improvements in terms of the NHL.com website, what have been the analytical results of those changes in terms of visitors, page views and length of time on the site?

We have seen an increase in virtually every key metric of fan engagement.  However, beyond the traditional metrics, the new site enables us to super-serve fans, particularly displaced ones, by learning more about them and personalizing their experience on the site both actively (serving content based on their favorite team) and passively (over time, serving content based on their behavior).

Fans have heard that the NHL will be promoting another free night of NHL GameCenter Live at the start of January.  Do you have any information on when exactly that might be and if there will be an opportunity to purchase a partial season package at that time?

My sources tell me that the free trial will be in early January and that there is likely to be promotions around partial season plans.  It will be announced shortly.

Speaking of January, the Winter Classic is set for New Years day in Chicago between the Blackhawks and the Red Wings.  What can fans expect from the NHL as far as the events and promotion leading up to the game?

You mean the Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day at 1 p.m.  ET on NBC in the U.S. and CBC and RDS in Canada?

Promotion is already well underway, across all of our platforms.  The Winter Classic celebrates what hockey is all about.  This event brings us back to the way hockey was born.  And we want as many people as possible to share in the experience, be it at the game or on television.

As far as promotion, the Winter Classic campaign, which debuted on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” on Nov. 30 is in heavy rotation.  My colleague Mike DiLorenzo just completed a very successful first phase of “The road to the NHL Winter Classic” truck tour (which you can read about here).

NHL.com has a microsite dedicated to the Winter Classic, NHL Network will televise the practices on Dec. 31 live beginning at Noon ET, NHL Radio will have scores of interviews leading up to the game, The Hockey Show will be in Chicago for about a week leading up to the game.  I could go on and on.

Fans outside of Chicago and Detroit are not being left out.  They are already seeing promotions and giveaways in their own buildings.  The other 28 teams recognize that as hockey fans the Winter Classic is our game, our history and goes beyond the two teams playing.

You can tell the players are really starting to get into it as well as evidenced by the wearing of the Winter Classic team toques in the warm-ups of the Dec. 6^th Blackhawks-Red Wings game.

Reebok is running a unique contest for both U.S. television viewers and in-stadium attendees that challenges fans to find the NHL player who is missing the Reebok logo from his jersey.   Each winner will receive a Stanley Cup trip for four, including airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and tickets to a Stanley Cup Final Game.

I have only scratched the surface on all of the things being done for this game.

With last season’s Winter Classic drawing 70,000 plus fans, ending with a shootout, and snowfall adding to the “Holiday pond-hockey” feel of the game, is there any way the 2009 Winter Classic could be even better?

Yes, but it’s not really about being better.  The Winter Classic is all about hockey fans – fans of every team – coming together on New Year’s Day and celebrating the game we love.

No matter the weather or the outcome, I expect NHL Winter Classic 2009 to be every bit the celebration of hockey that last year’s was.

It was originally thought that this season’s edition of the Winter Classic would be held in New York.  However, it was recently learned that Chicago, led by former Cubs President John McDonough, made a serious and persistent pitch to the league beginning last January in order for Wrigley field to acquire this game.  What were the determining factors for hosting the game in Chicago?

There is no shortage of factors that contribute to the selection of Chicago as the site for NHL Winter Classic 2009.

You touched on one very important factor: John McDonough.  He is a case study on effective leadership and someone I have been admiring professionally from afar for quite a while.

More than that, Chicago is a bastion of passionate sports fans, passionate Blackhawks fans, a great city that rallies around great events.

The renaissance of the entire Blackhawks franchise is an incredible story and one that continues to resonate.  Coming from where they were just 2 seasons ago to currently leading the League in attendance in remarkable.  Having the Winter Classic play a role in that transformation was attractive.

Additionally, the opportunity to play the game in a facility as iconic as Wrigley Field was very appealing.  That is sacred sports real estate.

In his comments this summer, Commissioner Bettman acknowledged the interest and efforts of the New York Yankees and the City of New York of hosting the event.  He has stated publicly that discussions will continue regarding the possibility of playing a future Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium.  Weather that is next year, or the year after or the year after remains to be seen.

One other note on Chicago:  I have read/heard some misguided and uninformed comments about the game being at Wrigley Field and not Soldier Field.  Considerable resources and time were spent examining the possibility of playing the Winter Classic at Soldier Field.   The fact that New Year’s Day is on a Thursday this year precluded the Winter Classic from being played at Soldier Field.  Per NFL rules, teams must make their stadium available to host a first-round playoff game on Saturday, January 3^rd (Remember, the NFL schedule was set well in advance of the selection process).

Again, after lengthy discussion, it was agreed by all parties involved that it was too great a risk that Soldier Field would not be in proper condition to host a playoff game two days after the Winter Classic.

As it is, an NHL game played at Wrigley Field will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

With respect to next season’s Winter Classic and the media build up to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, do you anticipate any detraction from the excitement that has been generated around the NHL’s event?

Anyone who tells you that they have information on NHL Winter Classic 2010 is lying to you.  No decisions have been made if in fact there will even be an event next season.  Like this year, the League will wait to see how the Winter Classic goes this year and determine what is in the best interests of the entire NHL going forward.

Players who have commented about participation in the Winter Classic often mention the experience that their friends and family have while attending the game. How has that aided the NHL’s positioning of the game as a holiday family event?

At its core, the Winter Classic is the ultimate shared experience among hockey fans.   The Winter Classic reminds us of the underlying spirit of the sport – it’s our weather, our challenges, even our hardships.  Who better to share that with than those who have been behind you since you first laced up your skates?

In a recent NHL.com column several Chicago Cubs have expressed their excitement about attending the game.  Are you aware of any other confirmed celebrity attendees for the Winter Classic?

These things are always subject to change because of busy schedules, but needless to say the magnitude of this event is drawing interest from boldface names around the country, including:

Vince Vaughn, Denis Leary, Billy Corrigan, Taylor Kitsch, Pat Sajak (big Caps fan: Read about Sajak’s Love for the Caps), William Petersen and the director John Hughes, among others.

Also, plans are in the works for a number of Chicago legends who have called Wrigley Field home to be at the Winter Classic.  I’ll withhold the names as not to ruin the surprise

What are some of the newer developments from the NHL’s Communications Department that fans might not yet know about?

Every new development we implement is designed to bring our fans closer to our players and the League than they have ever been before.

Like the entire League, we are being more aggressive in a number of different areas.  Not only are we using platforms such as Twitter and others to communicate directly with fans, but we are working closely with all of the content providers here at the NHL to deliver the type of stories, video and images that are fans are craving.   Here are some great video  examples of what I am talking about:

http://www.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?&id=23719
http://www.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?&id=27979

This season we will be offering content around the All-Star Game and Stanley Cup Playoffs usually reserved for the media in the form of static guides to dynamic Web sites open to the public.  We beta tested this last year and are confident that it will be well received.

Last season we completely changed the way we approach the media availability of both the NHL All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup Final.  Fans for the first time saw live programming on NHL Network of each of those events.  Our redesign also allowed for live content for every outlet present, be they print, radio, television, online or whatever to better deliver our players to our fans.  The players involved in each event had high praise for how each was conducted.

One last new initiative that I don’t believe many fans are aware of was our successful Player Media Tour we had this summer.  As always, the goal is getting more exposure for our players.  So we gathered 14 top players in New York City for 2 days of commercial shoots, print interviews, television interviews, radio interviews, promotions, photo sessions and even a little bit of fun.

Fans likely have seen some of the things that resulted from the tour, such as the great “pictures come alive” marketing campaign that our marketing people came up with.  We also filmed the digital television PSA that has been running on NHL Network, took photos that were included in NHL Shop’s recent catalogs, shot the features where a player recalls his first goal that many fans saw across various platforms and even captured footage and interviews being used to promote the NHL Winter Classic.  I know I am leaving off a bunch of things, but I think you get the picture.

That was a big step forward for us, with larger steps to come in the future. I encourage fans to remain engaged with the NHL – it is a great time to be a hockey fan.

NHL Digest would like to sincerely thank the National Hockey League Communications department and Schuyler Baehman for the opportunity to share these insights with our readers.  For those who are interested, please leave your thoughts or questions in the comments.  Alternatively, you are able to contact Schuyler at the following:

Schuyler Baehman
Manager of Communications
National Hockey League
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10036
sbaehman@nhl.com
twitter: @schuylerb

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