A strange story came out of last week's Winter Classic, in which an unscrupulous fan apparently robbed a 14-year-old of a prized gift from one of the NHL's biggest stars.
The Chicago Tribune has the story of how Kalan Plew of suburban Gurnee was waiting above the third-base dugout when he was hoping to get a high-five from one his favorite Wings, but Henrik Zetterberg gave him more than that, handing over his game-used stick to the young fan.
Then, the story gets odd. By the time Plew's father met his young son after the game outside the gates, he was in tears.
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Though it's been almost four days since I left Wrigley Field under cover of darkness -- the above shot was one last look I took for posterity before heading for Gate K and an idling shuttle bus on Waveland Avenue sometime around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evening -- it's clear that the 2009 NHL Winter Classic is going to be sticking with me for a very long time. Later in the day, my colleagues here at the NHL side of FanHouse are going to be sharing their own thoughts on the event and its future, but before that happens I'd like to share some thoughts about what I saw and heard over the three incredible days I spent at Wrigley Field.
At the end of the game, I had to choose to be in one of three places: the Chicago locker room, the main NHL interview room or the Wings locker room. In the end, I decided to go with the winners, concentrating on asking whether or not the NHL should continue with the Winter Classic. While my answer is a resounding yes, you never know what a player might tell you. Here's a hint: I think the league has no choice but to make this an annual event, now and forever.
I thought I had posted this video earlier in the day, but for some reason it didn't transmit. No matter, here it is again, as I recorded my trip from the hotel on Michigan Avenue all the way to Wrigley Field. While I've been jabbering all day on Twitter about how the Winter Classic has been a great showcase for the game of hockey and the NHL, it's also been an equally great showcase for the city of Chicago. The locals have really come through for the team and the league.
Chicago sports fans are a special breed and Wrigley Field is a special place. I got to find that out up close a little while ago when I got an unexpected answer from these two Blackhawks fans on the upper deck concourse. Guys like this make blogging worthwhile.
In between periods I've been ducking out of the press box and talking to individual fans about the game. It's been an enlightening experience -- and universally a positive one. Here's just one video of a conversation I had with Dave, a Flyers fan from Philadelphia who moved to Chicago and became a Blackhawks fan. Some of the language is NSFW, so clear the kids out of the room.
It's the day we've been waiting for, hockey fans, it's New Years Day and that means it's time for the winter classic between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. Eric McErlain has been at Wrigley Field all week passing along the inside information, and today we'll all be live-blogging it up. Come join us and take in all of the glorious action.
Well, the big day is finally here, and FanHouse is ready and on the ground in Chicago for the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. The twittering will start early and often on gameday, so be sure to check back frequently for updates all the way through the game and the postgame interview sessions. You'll also be able to read my tweets at the Live Blog my NHL FanHouse colleagues will be running starting at 12:45 p.m. EST.
I've been in media scrums before, but I have to admit I haven't been in many as intense as the one I walked into at Wrigley Field while attending the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. Press is here from all over North America, which means space was at a premium today, something that's easy to tell from watching this clip I put together featuring Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg, Chris Chelios and Brian Rafalski. While the first three players all talk about how great it is to play in the Classic, Rafalski strikes a different note when it comes to his concern for ice conditions.
Here's a short video reel I shot on Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago Blackhawks locker room immediately following their practice at Wrigley Field just one day ahead of the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. In this clip, you'll see Brian Campbell, James Wisniewski and Kris Versteeg all answering questions about the weather conditions they'll have to endure on gameday, January 1.
A strange story came out of last week's Winter Classic, in which an unscrupulous fan apparently robbed a 14-year-old of a prized gift from one of the NHL's biggest stars.
It's the day we've been waiting for, hockey fans, it's New Years Day and that means it's time for the winter classic between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. Eric McErlain has been at Wrigley Field all week passing along the inside information, and today we'll all be live-blogging it up. Come join us and take in all of the glorious action.
