Dallas Stars Will Take On Nashville Predators In 2020 Winter Classic
By Josh Clark
The NHL announced on Friday afternoon that the Dallas Stars will host the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. How’s that for a great headline and a superb showdown?
On Friday afternoon, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made an announcement regarding the Dallas Stars and the 2020 Winter Classic. And, while fans aren’t naturally inclined to acknowledge what he has to say, this one was important.
The official announcement pinned the Nashville Predators as the Stars’ opponent for the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2020 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. And though it’s still 341 days away from playing out, this is a massive notification.
Back on New Year’s Day 2019, the NHL named the Dallas Stars as the host of the 2020 Winter Classic as the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up the 2019 classic at Notre Dame Stadium. It will be the first outdoor professional hockey game in the state of Texas and will be the Stars’ first time in franchise history to play in an outdoor game.
The announcement came with plenty of excitement as Stars players and coaches get a chance to go back to their roots and fans get to experience the phenomenon that is outdoor hockey. The fact that it comes on the NHL’s biggest stage simply adds to the fun.
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Dallas and Nashville have been pitted against each other in the Central division since the NHL realigned prior to the 2013-14 season. That being said, the two teams have met 4-5 times a season and have become quite familiar with each other. This divisional showdown brings plenty of storylines as well as a brewing rivalry with it.
It’s also a chance to see two star-studded lineups collide in one of the most famous college football stadiums in the nation. While the Stars are led by Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen, and Ben Bishop, the Predators bring Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Pekka Rinne to the table. Some of the NHL’s best will get a chance to play in their first
For the Predators, the game will be a chance for the franchise to compete in their first outdoor hockey game and to do so in a fellow non-traditional southern hockey environment.
And speaking of non-traditional hockey markets, this game will definitely provide a shift for the NHL. Since the league began the Winter Classic tradition back in 2008, only a handful of teams have been able to participate. Most of those clubs are either considered to be traditional hockey markets (i.e. Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, New York) or have a large enough fan base and following to put on a big game.
As a result, the event has become a bit repetitive. But with the Stars and Predators gearing up to take center stage on NBC on the first day of 2020, there’s an opportunity to try something new and potentially put together an unforgettable event.
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There’s Southern ties, there’s two teams on the rise, and there’s a Central division brawl at one of the most iconic football stadiums in America. Could this game get any better?