We've had college hockey stories on FanHouse today. We've had Detroit Red Wings stories on FanHouse today. So, naturally, we come across a story in the Detroit Free Press which reports that Ford Field could host a hockey double-header pitting Michigan against Michigan State and then the Red Wings against an opponent-to-be-named-later in the night cap. Central Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner Tom Anastos confirmed discussions about the game, which would be a test run for an eventual Frozen Four at the stadium, but said they're very preliminary: "I don't have the Red Wings or the NHL on board ... To me, there's an order to getting something done. When you talk of an event of this magnitude, it would be naive to assume that because someone says, 'We're up for it,' that it will happen." Anastos said the Wings would need to get approval from the NHL. Then all of the parties would have to agree on a business plan.David Goricki of The Detroit News wrote about this yesterday, with Michigan State coach Rick Comley claiming the game would be played next December and that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be Detroit's opponent. (There's a sure way to try and get that attendance close to 80,000). Recall that Michigan and Michigan State competed in the "Cold War" back in 2001, before a hockey world-record crowd of 74,554 at Spartan Stadium.
My only questions: Will an NHL game inside a temperature-controlled dome stadium have the same fanatic appeal as those icy conditions in the Heritage Classic and (we assume) next month's Winter Classic in Buffalo? And is there any way we can convince this guy on the right to come back to Ford Field with a giant "D" painted on his chest and pasties with Pavel Datsyuk's face on them?
