Who isn’t sick of the Winter Classic? Capitals, Blackhawks aren't

WASHINGTON, DC – Karl Alzner has dressing room envy.

“This is the nicest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The Washington Capitals defenseman sat in his stall inside the Washington Nationals’ cavernous dressing room at Nationals Park, hockey gear on the floor where cleats and gloves would normally be found.

“I had been here before, but I had only gone as far as Drew Storen a.k.a. Nate Schmidt’s locker,” he said, motioning to Schmidt, his teammate, a few stalls down. “Now that I’ve seen it all ... I told my trainers that if they need any ideas for our room, they should take some pictures.”

This is the part of the NHL player experience at the Winter Classic and other NHL outdoor games that doesn’t always resonate with critics of the gimmick. We assume teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, competing in their second straight outdoor game and third overall since the Classics began in 2008, might have some participation fatigue. We assume that the Capitals, riding a month-long hot streak, might not want to have their momentum affected by this distraction.

What we don’t realize, at times, is how much damn fun these guys are having in the events. The “boys on the pond playing shinny” motif is among hockey’s most played-out tropes, but that’s honestly the vibe among the players in the Winter Classic.

“It’s only been the third one, so it’s not that many,” said Marian Hossa of the Blackhawks, with a laugh. “You try to have fun. It reminds you of the good old times, playing outside. I’ve been lucky to play in a few of them. Each one is different.”

Hossa played in the Wrigley Field game as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, and then in last season’s Soldier Field game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews is also on his third outdoor game and agreed that each experience is singular.

Like, for example, knowing everything you say for roughly two months could end up on television.

“This time was different. With the cameras around,” said Toews of the EPIX “Road To The NHL Winter Classic” series built around the Blackhawks and Capitals.

“Never knowing what stories they’re going to come up with. Half the stuff that’s said in here in front of the cameras is stuff you can’t air on TV. It’s sad, really,” he said through a chuckle. “But hopefully it’s entertaining, to a certain degree.”

The games can be entertaining or they can be a weather-affected mess. “The first one was raining, Puddles on the ice. Reflections. There’s a bit of preparations for the game,” recalled Mike Green of the Capitals, regarding their game in Pittsburgh.

But the overall experience is usually a fun one for the players, “Not many people get to experience this. It’s different. Everyone’s more upbeat, kind of looser. Not as stressful. It’s nice,” said Dan Carcillo, entering his fourth outdoor game.

Many of the players mentioned family time as a factor, as the outdoor games’ practice day is more about skating with wives, girlfriends, children and loved ones than anything else. It’s a break in the monotony, a moment for reflection and as many of them said, it’s an honor to get the invite when so many other NHL franchises are still waiting for their first crack at an outdoor game. (Consider that Chicago is the only Central Division team to have participated in one yet.)

So while many in the hockey world see outdoor games as being played-out, the players are still all-in.

“I think we thought that the novelty would be gone, leading up to this. And then as soon as we got in here today, it came back,” said Alzner.

He was wearing a new Washington Capitals Winter Classic hat, matching his new Washington Capitals Winter Classic jersey. And that’s the other thing about a bunch of grown up kids getting a chance to play in an outdoor hockey game on New Year’s Day in front of 45,000 fans – they don’t leave empty handed.

“There’s all this cool Winter Classic gear we get to wear,” said Alzner.

“It’s Christmas for us.”

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