NHL Winter Classic 2010 at Fenway Park

This year's Winter Classic (hockey game played outdoors) is at Fenway Park. The Boston Bruins will host the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Boston Bruins, founded in 1924, became the first American NHL team. They entered the league alongside the Montreal Maroons. The NHL having been founded November 26, 1917.

The Philadelphia Flyers were founded much later, in 1967. They were part of the six team expansion of that year that saw the number of teams grow from six (Original Six) to twelve. The Original Six era lasted from 1942.

Of the six expansion teams (California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues) only two no longer exist in their original form, California, and Minnesota. And only California no longer exist period. They moved to Cleveland for two seasons in 1976, as the Cleveland Barons, and folded in 1978 merging with Minnesota.

Boston has five Stanley Cups, the first being in 1929, and the most recent being 1972.

Philadelphia has two Stanley Cup championships under their belts, back to back in 1974, 1975.

Not quite the history of last year's game. Well, at least half of the participating teams. Then again, better than the first Winter Classic in 2008 (Pittsburgh, 1967 at Buffalo, 1970). Also, comparable to the Heritage Classic in 2003, that saw the Montreal Canadiens, founded 1909, visit the Edmonton Oilers, founded 1972.

The Boston Bruins will be sporting jerseys from the 1948-49 season (top half of picture). The only season they used the rounded B. However since those jerseys are white, and dark jerseys are the home jerseys, they will be wearing them as home jerseys, with the Boston gold colour added.

The Flyers will be sporting what appears to be 1971 to 1977 home jerseys (again top half of picture). Which works now, as white jerseys are the away jerseys.

This years advertisement for the game has nothing on last year's. Don't get me wrong, it is still good, going back to hockey's roots. And I do like the Green Monster in hockey context. However being able to use "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in a hockey commercial is priceless. And hey, it was at Wrigley Field!

Judge for yourself, this year's and last year's.





See also:

Bruins, Flyers unveil NHL Winter Classic jerseys (for much more information)

and

The Hockey Wing Has Spoken (For more pictures and notes. A few paragraphs down under "Ghosts of Christmas Present")

Thanks to The Hockey Uniform Database and Chris Creamer's Sports Logos for the images.