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The day is finally here. After months and months of waiting, the Winter Classic has arrived, and the Blackhawks are ready.
Welcome to my weekly Blackhawks Beat Newsletter. Typically, this is locked for our CHGO Diehards, but we’ll be unlocking it for this special occasion. In the meantime, thanks for the support.
Saturday afternoon, the Blackhawks took to the Wrigley Field ice for a brief practice, followed by a skate with their families. Later, they met with the media and shared their excitement about the event, playing at Wrigley Field, and the importance of getting two points in the game.
On playing at Wrigley Field
The history and significance of Wrigley Field is not lost on anyone on this team. From grizzled vets like Nick Foligno to young guns like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, everyone expressed their excitement for the opportunity to play on such sacred ground. (Yes, I know you White Sox fans don’t agree with ANY of this, but just go with it for now, okay?)
“I’ve been to six [Cubs] games already,” Taylor Hall said. “I haven’t been a Blackhawk for very long. I have an appreciation for what this ballpark means to the city of Chicago, so it’s awesome being out there.”
“I love it down here,” Seth Jones said. “The city’s buzzing. Everybody’s bar hopping and enjoying themselves. [Wrigley has] a great aura about it…it’s kinda cool to share this experience.”
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“[Playing at Wrigley was] something I always thought of,” Nazar admitted. “But I was just focusing on where I was at the time in Rockford…not focusing on possibly being up here…but always in the back of my mind, it was like, ‘Oh, it’d be really cool to be there for this moment.'”
“It was pretty surreal,” Alex Vlasic said. “You don’t really realize what it’s like until you get out of that dugout and you start walking towards the ice. Just taking those first couple of strides…it was really special today.”
“It’s the history. I find that stuff kind of cool,” Bedard said. “It’s a great spot. I got to tour it a little bit. It’s fun we get to be here. It’s something not everyone gets to experience. We’re grateful to be chosen to get to play in this game. It’s one of the coolest experiences of my life so far, and the game hasn’t even started yet. I’m looking forward to it.”
“There are some [venues] that are better than others,” Hall confessed. “For me, personally, to play at Fenway and then here…two iconic venues…that’s pretty cool. I’m taking it all in and really enjoying it.”
On family time at the Winter Classic
The players clearly appreciated the opportunity the league gave them to include their families in many of the Winter Classic festivities, including the post-practice skate. In fact, the team appears to have gifted the players’ families coats and hats for their significant others and children.
When people ask us, “Why would anyone want to come to play for the Blackhawks?” we point to things like this. The organization goes above and beyond in its accommodations for players and their families. Coats and a skate might not seem like a big deal to fans, but the small gestures add up, and word spreads around the league.
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“I was skating around with my son and trying to take it in as much as I can,” Hall said. “Just try to take mental pictures as I’m doing it. That’s what’s special at this point in my career…to come and do this and have experiences like this at Wrigley.”
“My mom came out,” Jones said. “She hasn’t skated in a long time…since we were kids. She was holding on to me around the ice. Everyone was getting pictures. The kids were having a blast.”
“Today was awesome,” Pat Maroon said. “This is a good day for us. Having the families come out here and enjoy it with us, I think that’s the most important thing. Family always comes first to me. They get the opportunity to cherish what we get to do tomorrow.”
“To have my brother skating beside me on Wrigley…it’s just such a cool moment and something I’ll never forget,” Vlasic said. “It’s cool to just be here and soak it all up.”
“My parents and sister were out there. My mom was struggling a little bit out there. She’s got an ugly stride,” Bedard joked. “They had a good time. It’s fun that our families get to be part of it. ”
On getting two points
“I’m using this game as a way to springboard our group to where we’re expecting to go,” Foligno said. “It’s been a little disappointing…of late especially. We thought we had something going and have fallen back a little bit. This is a great opportunity to catch ourselves, enjoy the moment, come together as a group. You come out of this on top, and it might springboard our team to get going here, getting our confidence…getting the city behind us. It’s a great fan base here that we have to give a little bit more to.”
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“It’s a really good experience. It’s cool. It’s even better when you win the game,” Hall added. “It’s still worth two points.”
“The biggest thing we talked about today was [that the] outcome the last couple of games was not what we wanted,” Anders Sorensen said. “But let’s try to enjoy where we are right now. Take the experience and enjoy it, then put our best foot forward tomorrow.”
That’s the bottom line for these Blackhawks. The Winter Classic is a great event, but losing a marquee game like this hurts a little more than your typical Friday in Buffalo. Two points in the Classic will go a long way in getting some positive vibes in a sports city desperately needing some positive vibes. As Foligno said, the fans deserve a little more.
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