2008-2009 Schedule

[siouxnami]

Do we have any actual links or confirmations for the 6 non-bemidji, non-conference games. If so please update the wiki or post here and I will.

[mikeypat15]

Just to put it out there that the Chicago Blackhawks are a major candidate to host next years outdoor game (there are many others though). Something cool though that I heard in a McDonough interview today is that he wants to play at either Wrigley or Soldier field, but also do it in conjunction with other hockey games including college hockey. Major college candidates include Wisco, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, and even Minnesota. Now I'm suspecting it would most likely bee a Big Ten game, but it would be fun to see a Wisco/Sioux game in Chicago. They would definately get a good attendance from Sioux fans as there are a ton in Chicago, and we probably travel best when compared to other teams.

[AZSIOUX]

Just to put it out there that the Chicago Blackhawks are a major candidate to host next years outdoor game (there are many others though). Something cool though that I heard in a McDonough interview today is that he wants to play at either Wrigley or Soldier field, but also do it in conjunction with other hockey games including college hockey. Major college candidates include Wisco, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, and even Minnesota. Now I'm suspecting it would most likely bee a Big Ten game, but it would be fun to see a Wisco/Sioux game in Chicago. They would definately get a good attendance from Sioux fans as there are a ton in Chicago, and we probably travel best when compared to other teams.

would be sweet and i remember a boston outdoor game talk last year but that never happened with bc and bu facing 2 western teams. they would take a big 10 team like minny/mich without a doubt over the sioux unless donny boy didnt want to risk frostbite for his players

maybe sioux/gophers non conference 1 year outdoors would be fun as hell

[Big A HG]

I think outdoor games are really overrated. I don't think they are anymore interesting than an indoor game. You still have 6 guys on a team on the ice and are trying to get a puck in the other teams net. Then one team is forced to play into the wind twice and is at a disadvantage, etc. Outdoor games are a gimmick.

[AZSIOUX]

I think outdoor games are really overrated. I don't think they are anymore interesting than an indoor game. You still have 6 guys on a team on the ice and are trying to get a puck in the other teams net. Then one team is forced to play into the wind twice and is at a disadvantage, etc. Outdoor games are a gimmick.

yes they are a gimmick and once a year who cares. its cool because thats how you grow up playing when you are little. going to the riink outdoor, bundled up so thats the main point when seeing these games and its not like its overplayed. its a game per year.....and they switch in the middle of each period or in the third at the least mid period if theres a decent wind. if you played hockey as a youth as i did in berrrrrmidji on the lake, these are very cool

and another reason i dont mind is it grabs the attention of big sports shows/networks as well and that cant hurt the game of hockey as its already so regional as it is. they may get a non hockey fan to sit in and watch the gimmick and may create a few more fans. i agree its a gimmick but a good one at that

[MafiaMan]

Then one team is forced to play into the wind twice and is at a disadvantage, etc. Outdoor games are a gimmick.

If you watched the Winter Classic, you would have noticed that the whistle was blown at the 10:00 mark of each period and the teams changed ends. It wouldn't have mattered if Sidney Crosby was at center-ice on a break-away at the 10:02 mark. Unless the puck had been in the back of the net at exactly 10:00, the whistle would have blown the play dead.

A gimmick? Maybe. But I don't think 80,000 people in Buffalo can be termed "suckers". Personally, I loved it, and if it brought some new fans to the NHL, bonus points!

[AZSIOUX]

If you watched the Winter Classic, you would have noticed that the whistle was blown at the 10:00 mark of each period and the teams changed ends. It wouldn't have mattered if Sidney Crosby was at center-ice on a break-away at the 10:02 mark. Unless the puck had been in the back of the net at exactly 10:00, the whistle would have blown the play dead.

A gimmick? Maybe. But I don't think 80,000 people in Buffalo can be termed "suckers". Personally, I loved it, and if it brought some new fans to the NHL, bonus points!

thats my take is the fans point, the nhl needs all the help they can get. next time make it crosby vs ovechkin and not on a day where other important sporting events like college football bowl games were going on you bonehead bettman!

[MafiaMan]

thats my take is the fans point, the nhl needs all the help they can get. next time make it crosby vs ovechkin and not on a day where other important sporting events like college football bowl games were going on you bonehead bettman!

You are preachin' to the choir, AZSIOUX! I'm a huge Michigan football fan and it was painful to turn away from either the UM/UF football game or the Penguins/Sabres game. UGH...what was Bettman thinking?

Speaking of Ovechkin, did you see the game the other night when Washington lit up Boston for SIX GOALS in the first period and Alex had the hatty in 20 minutes? AWESOME! And it's about time the Capitals wore some decent looking uniforms too and got rid of those dreary colors now sported by only the Washington Wizards!

I believe the hottest rumor regarding an outdoor college hockey game is still Wisconsin vs Boston College at Camp Randall, isn't it?

[Big A HG]

I did like the idea at first. In fact, I may have been on the side of liking it also...but...

It really doesn't do anything. I don't think it really adds any fans to the game. The only ones that really enjoy these games are people who are already fans of hockey. After watching Hockey day in Minnesota with the HS games outdoors, it seemed like wasted energy to me. It didn't look fun for the players or fans at the game....it was just something that they could talk about on tv.

There really isn't anything to gain by having this...just the fans like you AZ who like watching it b/c that's what you did as a kid, was play outdoors....but anyone who played outdoors who is intrigued by this already is a fan of hockey. For all the work involved, I just don't think there's enough to gain.

[MafiaMan]

It really doesn't do anything. I don't think it really adds any fans to the game.

Highest Rated Televised Hockey Game in a Decade!

Despite the fact that Michigan and Florida were playing in a New Year's Day bowl game at exactly the same time, the ratings for this game were still excellent. Do you really think not a single new person who tuned in to the Penguins/Sabres game has not watched a game since then? I bet they have.

This idea can't be overdone though. Once, twice, three times is cool. Once a season? Marketing gimmick.

Things go in cycles. The NBA was hot for Jordan...cold since about 1999. The rise of LeBron has changed things a bit and since the Lakers and Celtics are prime teams again, it's hot. I'd love to see the NHL rise to the level of popularity it had in about 1994 but it's going to take some work. Contract a few teams and let's see teams with not just one star but two or three. Hopefully Bettman finally wakes up...

[Big A HG]

Highest Rated Televised Hockey Game in a Decade!

Despite the fact that Michigan and Florida were playing in a New Year's Day bowl game at exactly the same time, the ratings for this game were still excellent. Do you really think not a single new person who tuned in to the Penguins/Sabres game has not watched a game since then? I bet they have.

This idea can't be overdone though. Once, twice, three times is cool. Once a season? Marketing gimmick.

Things go in cycles. The NBA was hot for Jordan...cold since about 1999. The rise of LeBron has changed things a bit and since the Lakers and Celtics are prime teams again, it's hot. I'd love to see the NHL rise to the level of popularity it had in about 1994 but it's going to take some work. Contract a few teams and let's see teams with not just one star but two or three. Hopefully Bettman finally wakes up...

Yeah, but it's so hard to read into the ratings. 1) It's on New Years, so pretty much the whole country has off of work. That means there are so many more people that CAN watch. 2) There are so few games on any mainstream channel to say that ratings wouldn't have been the same if they were playing inside. 3) How can you say anyone that watched wasn't a hockey fan already....or if they weren't, became one after? The ratings can't tell you any of that.

Just because a game was the highest rated hockey game in a decade doesn't mean it was even that highly rated. The ratings could have been horrible, but were just good enough to be the best in the last ten years.

I think getting a channel like ESPN or the likes of an ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC to show games on a regular basis will help more than a once a year gimmick. One game isn't going to fix the problem. NBC already shows a few, but not enough to get a consistent audience or enough to grow the game.

[AZSIOUX]

I did like the idea at first. In fact, I may have been on the side of liking it also...but...

It really doesn't do anything. I don't think it really adds any fans to the game. The only ones that really enjoy these games are people who are already fans of hockey. After watching Hockey day in Minnesota with the HS games outdoors, it seemed like wasted energy to me. It didn't look fun for the players or fans at the game....it was just something that they could talk about on tv.

There really isn't anything to gain by having this...just the fans like you AZ who like watching it b/c that's what you did as a kid, was play outdoors....but anyone who played outdoors who is intrigued by this already is a fan of hockey. For all the work involved, I just don't think there's enough to gain.

well listening to sports radio here in az they did a segment on the game the week after and caller after caller called in and said it was the first game they every watched and loved it and since that game they actually made it over to a coyotes game so that to me is a good thing for hockey as i know you would agree with. its a gimmick without a doubt but i think once a year is a good thing to spice it up. the most important thing is the nhl getting attention and it did but it could have been way better if gary buttmen did it on a different day and not the biggest bowl day in history

[AZSIOUX]

Yeah, but it's so hard to read into the ratings. 1) It's on New Years, so pretty much the whole country has off of work. That means there are so many more people that CAN watch. 2) There are so few games on any mainstream channel to say that ratings wouldn't have been the same if they were playing inside. 3) How can you say anyone that watched wasn't a hockey fan already....or if they weren't, became one after? The ratings can't tell you any of that.

Just because a game was the highest rated hockey game in a decade doesn't mean it was even that highly rated. The ratings could have been horrible, but were just good enough to be the best in the last ten years.

I think getting a channel like ESPN or the likes of an ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC to show games on a regular basis will help more than a once a year gimmick. One game isn't going to fix the problem. NBC already shows a few, but not enough to get a consistent audience or enough to grow the game.

and thats garry buttmans fault. he should have begged espn to take them back for free after the lock out and he didnt. he went to versus and nbc which is what it is. espn didnt get much ratings from hockey anyways but i know they would have tried to help the nhl get it back to tv a few nights a week. the nhl needs to use what they have and thats crosby and ovechkin to market. its tough no matter what but the outdoor game doesnt do any harm so once of year isnt that big of a deal

[FS4evr]

The ultimate "outdoor" hockey event -

Ford Field 2010 - Evan Trupp, David Toews, Brad Eidsness and Co. destroy the University of Michigan for #9 (score 6-1) in front of 65,000 fans.

[Bob in Wisconsin]

an outdoor game at Camp Randall would be awesome, I think it seats 70k+, but I'd hate to be playing UW there.

[Big A HG]

an outdoor game at Camp Randall would be awesome, I think it seats 70k+, but I'd hate to be playing UW there.

I think Camp Randall holds about 81,000 or so if I remember right. I'm not sure if the Badgers would be up for another one already seeing as they were just at Lambeau against Ohio State in the 2005-06 season (I think it was in November). Good turnout, looked like fun.

[CornellHockey]

I know you're all more interested in FF, but we are hearing more rumors about coming out there for a Fri/Sat after T'giving. Any info on your end? Good luck next week.

[Siouxmama]

I know you're all more interested in FF, but we are hearing more rumors about coming out there for a Fri/Sat after T'giving. Any info on your end? Good luck next week.

I haven't heard a thing about it, but if you do come out here, you wouldn't regret it.

It's cold, but not all the time, and it would be good to see our arena. Your fan base that travels could even set up a tour of the Ralph.

You'd have a good time.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

I know you're all more interested in FF, but we are hearing more rumors about coming out there for a Fri/Sat after T'giving. Any info on your end? Good luck next week.

'Tis true. The Big Red are coming to The Ralph over Thanksgiving. The Sioux are also going out to Harvard for a two game series between Christmas and New Years. The Great Lakes Invitational, and The Icebreaker in Boston, are also on the schedule.

[siouxweet]

'Tis true. The Big Red are coming to The Ralph over Thanksgiving. The Sioux are also going out to Harvard for a two game series between Christmas and New Years. The Great Lakes Invitational, and The Icebreaker in Boston, are also on the schedule.

harvard on the road and the gli over the holidays, ouch. so that possibly means cornell and bemidji for home non conference-yippee!

[UND85]

Home vs. SCSU on Dec.12-13

At SCSU on Jan.30-31 2009

[teamsioux]

Someone on the Duluth board has the Sioux going there on Nov 21-22nd.

[siouxweet]

based on the rotation and feel free to plug in dates:

cc-home and away

denver-home

minnesota-home

duluth-nov 21-22?

wisconsin-home and away

mtech-away

aa-home and away

msu-mankato-home and away

st. cloud 12/12-12/13 jan 30-31

non conference

ice breaker?

great lakes invite?

corenellhome?

bemidji st.?

harvard-away?

[UND85]

Great Lakes Invite is played in Detroit, but where is the Icebreakers games played? Thanks

[siouxweet]

Great Lakes Invite is played in Detroit, but where is the Icebreakers games played? Thanks

I heard out in boston at boston u with mich state, und and one of the umass schools.