A drinking game of this magnitude might just work better on a day like today than your normal Jan. 1 NHL Winter Classic.

You were all hungover on Sunday morning after ringing in 2012, but now that we've had a full day to ease the pain, you should be back to 100-percent and raring to go for a day of hockey beginning with the Winter Classic at 3 p.m. ET.

The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers will drop the puck at Citizens Bank Park in the fifth NHL Winter Classic game, and since it's the only game on the schedule this afternoon, and you're probably not planning to watch the SoonToBeFailingBankInvestmentFirm.com Bowl, your friends at Puck Daddy would like to offer a drinking game to enhance your outdoor hockey watching experience.

No drinking game is a good one without interaction, so it's your job to add to our list in the comments.

For entertainment purposes only, here is Puck Daddy's Unofficial 2012 NHL Winter Classic Drinking Game, in the classic 1-2-3 drink format.

ONE DRINK

• Whenever ice conditions are discussed.

• Whenever someone uses the word "glare."

• Any moment or storyline from HBO 24/7 is mentioned.

• John Tortorella gets upset.

• A penalty is called.

• Jaromir Jagr's history as a Pittsburgh Penguin or Ranger is brought up.

• Brandon Prust fights someone within the first minute of the game.

• You see a Jersey Foul.

• Every time Dan Girardi or Ryan Callahan blocks a shot.

• Every time NBC switches to a camera shot from the plane cam.

• Doc Emrick mentions any player's junior or U.S. college team.

• Glen Healy gets upset at something random.

TWO DRINKS

• Any time Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby are mentioned.

• When the game is halted for ice repairs.

• Sean Avery is mentioned.

• Each time Scott Hartnell falls down. #HartnellDown

• Peter Laviolette calls a timeout.

• Bob Costas talks down to you.

• The alumni game sellout is mentioned.

• Pierre McGuire makes an odd comment about any player.

• Darren Pang is forced to stand on a box for an interview.

• Each time Ed Olczyk talks about a player having an active stick.

• Don Cherry's suit during "Coach's Corner" causes you retinal damage.

THREE DRINKS

• If NBC opens up its broadcast with Mike Milbury and the Phillie Phanatic.

• Ilya Bryzgalov is seen drinking from his Thermos.

• Every time NBC's plane cam or blimp cams cause you to miss a goal.

• An NHL team makes a deal during the Winter Classic.

• The Tampa Bay Lightning trade for another goaltender during the Winter Classic.

CHUG

• Mike Milbury is shown near a child.

• Someone gets accidentally concussed behind the play.

• Eric Lindros and Bobby Clarke are seen in a passionate embrace.

• Wade Redden is mentioned.

Photo credit: AP

PHILADELPHIA — When asked after the New York Rangers' practice on Sunday whether injured defenseman Marc Staal would play in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, Coach John Tortorella said "no, nothing's changed with Marc. Same lineup tomorrow for this team."

Then Sunday dinner happened.

That's when Tortorella said he was given the green light from his trainer and a physician for Staal's return to the lineup for the first time since Game 5 against the Washington Capitals last April. But most importantly, he got the green light from Staal.

"I sat down and talked with him and asked him, 'Do you want to play?' I heard so many different things, and Marc was talking quite a bit," said Tortorella on Monday. "I said, 'Staalsy, I don't care about anyone else's opinion. Are you ready to play?' And he said he was."

Staal will rejoin the Rangers' lineup on the third defense pairing, which will limit his minutes. "We're not putting him in a top four position. We'll make judgments as it goes along here," said Tortorella.

Staal's concussion, on a hit from his brother Eric in March, was one of the dozens that have impacted significant players in the NHL this season. Another player on that list: Sidney Crosby, who was concussed in last season's Winter Classic in a collision with Dave Steckel. To have one player dramatically come back from a concussion in the 2012 Classic after losing a player in 2011 provides an interesting bit of symmetry for a League whose image, from a player safety perspective, has been maligned. Wonder if this will be mentioned on NBC ...

Was there any hesitation from Tortorella to bring back Staal in an outdoor game? Tortorella said "you can overthink" the challenges of playing outdoors, and that the environment wouldn't have affected his decision. "I don't care if he's going to play in a creek somewhere. He's going to play."

This marks the second Winter Classic in a row in which a Staal has made an unexpected comeback from injury. Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins recovered from a broken hand to play in the 2011 Classic at Heinz Field.

We eagerly await Eric Staal making it a Classic injury comeback hat trick. Oh, that's right, Carolina's never getting an outdoor game. Never mind.

We've had three weeks of HBO 24/7 and an endless amount of articles about ice conditions, glare and goaltenders having meltdowns about thermoses in the locker room. Now, it's time to hit the ice.

The 2012 NHL Winter Classic begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and CBC, and that's when our Live Chat begins, too. Please join your buddies from Puck Daddy and Yahoo! Sports for all the Winter Classic fun and merriment. And by that we mean: Grab your beverages.

After charges were dropped against Mike Milbury for an incident after a youth hockey game, NBC added the caustic commentator back to its 2012 NHL Winter Classic coverage — they even had him skating with young players before the Broad Street Bullies met the Broadway Blueshirts.

Or is it the Broadway … well, let's just say Milbury had a memorable gaffe to open the broadcast.

Surprised they didn't catch that with the dump button.

s/t Kukla.

PHILADELPHIA — There wasn't much Jaromir Jagr in the second period of the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, as the Philadelphia Flyers star was limited to two shifts. But there was a Jagr-like salute given after a goal … by Michael Rupp of the New York Rangers.

That goal cut the Flyers' lead to 2-1.

Rupp appeared on CBC between periods, and was asked about the salute with regard to Jagr. His answer? "Oh, that's his? I've been doing that since I was a kid." (s/t Rick)

UPDATE: Jaromir Jagr, after the game, responding to a question about Rupp's salute: "We're still going to be play them three more times. And I think I'm going to score and I'm going to salute him back."

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PHILADELPHIA — John Tortorella was a happy coach after his New York Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic.

Well, save for the officiating in the third period.

"I'm not sure if NBC got together with the refs," said Tortorella, after the Rangers' 3-2 victory on Monday, regarding Ian Walsh and Dennis LaRue.

"It started with the non-call [when] Gabby was pitch-forked in the stomach, and then everything starts going against us. They're two good referees; I thought the game was refereed horribly. So I'm not sure what happened there. Maybe they wanted to get it to an overtime. I'm not sure if they have meetings about that or what. But we stood in there. They're good guys. But in that third period, it was disgusting."

The play that sparked the most outrage: When the Flyers were given a penalty shot with 19.6 seconds left in the game and trailing by a goal, as the officials claimed defenseman Ryan McDonagh covered the puck illegally in the Rangers' crease.

Danny Briere took the shot; Henrik Lundqvist made his biggest save of the game.

"I was just trying to be patient. He's a tricky guy. If I make the first move, he's gonna score," said Lundqvist.

"There was a lot of pressure on me there. I can't believe they called a penalty shot. But it was exciting."

That it was, and a fitting end to an unpredictable day/evening at Citizens Bank Park — if not the preferred end for the locals.

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Flyers rookie Brayden Schenn admitted that he had put a little bit of pressure on himself to score his first NHL goal. After being plagued with injuries through the opening three months of the season, Schenn finally notched his first goal, but Philadelphia fell 3-2 to the New York Rangers in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic.

Schenn joked he almost blacked out he was so excited, but the youthful exuberance in his goal celebration was well-deserved -- and not just because of the scene or that he began the play with one of his 12 faceoff wins on the afternoon.

After spending the last two seasons traveling between the Los Angeles Kings, Manchester Monarchs of the AHL and Brandon and Saskatoon of the WHL, Schenn found himself on the move yet again last June as part of the Mike Richards deal. After a prolonged wait, Schenn sees finally scoring his first goal something he can build on.

"It's a positive step," said Schenn. "Obviously I've wanted to get it for a while. It just seemed I wouldn't get the break or couldn't go in and that one hopped right on my stick. I was fortunate enough to bury it, so I think I can use it as a step forward and that's what I'm going to try to do."

In early December, Schenn was diagnosed with a mild concussion and missed nine games. That was on top of a bum shoulder and a broken foot he suffered earlier in the season.

Those injuries prevented him from finding his place in the Flyers' lineup, something Schenn is slowly working on.

"They're giving me an opportunity to play with some good players right now," said Schenn.

"I've just got to work myself in. There's chemistry built through the first half. I just wasn't able to find chemistry with anyone, so now it's my job with my linemates to try and blend in, and blend in with the team, as well, since I haven't played a whole lot of hockey this year."

The loss now puts the Rangers four points ahead of the Flyers in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings with three meetings left, including one the final week of the season.

The Flyers and Schenn wanted to win this game badly; for the 46,967 in attendance at Citizen Bank Park and for the momentum going forward, but it wasn't to be.

Scratching out the two points would have been a great finale to a special day for Schenn.

"When you don't get the win in the in the end, it's bittersweet."

PHILADELPHIA — Michael Rupp was seated in the New York Rangers' dressing room, located a few steps from the visitor's dugout in Citizens Bank Park. The black, beat-up dress hat that's given to an honored player after each Rangers victory rested on his head like an ill-fitting crown.

"It needs a chin strap," he said.

The media swarmed him, after his two goals rallied the Rangers in their 3-2 Winter Classic victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. A temporary member of that swarm: Teammate Artem Anisimov, whom Rupp treated like a credentialed member of the press for a moment.

"What's your question?"

"Why Hank give you hat?" asked Anisimov.

"He just wanted to see how dumb I look, because it doesn't fit."

"You look great."

Rupp smiled. "Good question."

This was Rupp's second Winter Classic, having played 5:29 for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011 — long enough to have a fight with John Erskine but having little impact otherwise.

In 2012, Rupp played just 7:34, but had a dramatic impact on the game — from his offensive output to his flashpoint "salute" celebration to the sage advice he gave the Rangers before they skated out in front of 46,967.

Rupp gave a pregame speech to his teammates about playing in the Classic, urging them to get a lead and play a certain style.

"I just remember last year it was really tough playing from behind. We did the same thing that Washington did to Pittsburgh last year. We made sure we advanced the puck, gained zones, make them come 200 feet to us because with this ice, it's difficult to come 200 feet to make plays," he said.

"The logistics of playing is different. It takes a little adjustment. In my experience, the first period's kind of tough. The automatic things that come to you in the game don't come right away, so you have to feel your way."

The Rangers didn't get a lead, going down 2-0 to the Flyers in the second period. But 30 seconds after Claude Giroux's goal, Rupp scored his first of the game and then skated to the glass for a Jagr-esque salute.

What was the motivation for that celebration?

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, with a laugh.

Did he have to decide whether to opt for a machine gun, like Artem Anisimov, or the salute? "The machine gun was retired I think," he said. "It was just the heat of the moment."

It was a moment that drew the ire of Scottie Hartnell of the Flyers later in the game.

"He just wished me a happy New Year. I didn't know what he was saying. He wasn't happy about something," said Rupp.

It was a moment that had Rupp trending worldwide, as his agent Allan Walsh noted on Twitter.

"That's a good agent right there," said Rupp.

His second goal of the game came at 2:41 of the third period: a bad-angle blast that deflected in off of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

"The ice was awesome. It was lot better than it was last year. Over the course of the game, the ice is wearing. It kind of gives guys like me more of an opportunity to get something ugly. If I get a chance to shoot, I'm gonna shoot. I kind of banked it off him. It didn't go straight in. You take those ugly ones," Rupp said.

Brad Richards's goal just under three minutes later proved to be the game winner — helping Rupp feel quite different than he did after last season's outdoor game.

"It's a Catch 22. If you're on a losing team, like I was last year, at the end of it you can just say 'it was only two points.' But I remember last year when we lost, it felt like getting knocked out of the playoffs," he said.

Instead, Rupp said the Rangers won a game whose final moments matched the intensity of a Game 7.

"It had that feeling, but you don't want to get caught up in it. It wasn't a Game 7. It was two points," he said.

"We play these guys three more times this year. They're going to be hard games."

You had to know that, while Phoenix Coyotes' winger Raffi Torres probably deserved more than a fine for his hit on Jan Hejda last Thursday (not to mention, perhaps more than nothing for the one on Andrew Ference in the night before prior), it wouldn't be long before he gave Brendan Shanahan an opportunity to correct the oversight.

The dude loves to charge. He's like the exact opposite of Ferdinand the Bull. Another objectionable hit was on the way.

But in the very next game, a game he probably should have been sitting out with a suspension for basically the same thing? Now that's just plain annoying, and you can sense Shanahan's irritation as he explains why Torres has been suspended two games for his hit on Minnesota Wild defenseman Nate Prosser:

Shanahan leads with the explanation of why the hit is suspendable, and kudos to the department of player safety's audiovisual team for slowing it down to a crawl to show us the exact moment his feet leave the ice and this becomes an illegal hit. So sayeth Shanahan:

While players' skates often come off the ice after impact on a clean bodycheck, that is not the case here. Torres's skates leave the ice before contact is made and are well off the ice at the moment of impact. This is a clear violation of the charging rule...

Of course, the illegal hit is only one of two reasons that Torres is seeing a ban here. The other is that he's a repeat offender repeat offending (against a team that has suffered repeated offenses, amirite Wild fans?).

Something had to be done. Shanny, again:

It is important to note that this was the third game in a row that Torres has gotten the attention of the department of player safety for contact to the head. In fact only, hours before the Minnesota game, Torres was fined and warned against such actions. In addtion, Torres has been fined for illegal hits twice before in his 10-season NHL career and was suspended nine months ago for a similar play.

When the league disciplinarian is explaining that you're on a freaking illegal hit hot streak, you're in trouble.

Good call for Shanahan. A little late, but with Raffi Torres, that's not uncommon. The guy is quickly developing a reputation as Matt Cooke lite (but heavier).

Frankly, this seemed, to me, to be the friendliest of his three bad hits, but he was on borrowed time anyway. He can't possibly react too strongly to this decision -- unless that reaction involves changing his game.

Not to be outdone by Ian Cole, who earned a three-game suspension Sunday for a check that Brendan Shanahan called the "quintessential" open-ice head hit, Chicago Blackhawks' winger Dan Carcillo has apparently decided to help Shanahan clarify the rules on shoving from behind.

Here's Carcillo absolutely launching Edmonton Oilers' defenseman Tom Gilbert into the end boards after a dump-in:

Okay, I am fairly certain that's against the rules.

Gilbert left the game and did not return, but he wasn't the only one hurt by this hit. Carcillo left as well, both because he injured himself making the check and because he was tossed (a fitting punishment), earning a 5-minute major and a game misconduct. Then the Oilers scored twice on the powerplay to take the lead. They wound up winning the game, 4-3.

In other words, despite what you see above, it's not a slam dunk that Gilbert got the worst of the collision.

Carcillo's probably still not done suffering for it, either. I would be shocked if he doesn't get the book thrown at him here.

As I've said of late, I honestly have no idea what Shanahan's going to do anymore, but I'm going to predict a big ban for this incident. Not only was there an apparent injury on the play, but Carcillo's a repeat offender, having been suspended five times in his NHL career.

Worse, he's a recent repeat offender on Shanahan's watch. You'll recall that, back in October, he saw a two-game ban for effectively doing the same thing to Joni Pitkanen.

If the recent Raffi Torres suspension is any indication, Shanahan gets annoyed when his discipline fails to deter, and this is one such case.

In this instance, Carcillo hasn't just continued to shove from behind -- he's gotten better at it. Heck, he's perfected the act. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more "quintessential" shove into the end boards than this one. Granted, it's not right in the numbers,

What say you, puckheads? Is this is a banner Shanaban?

Little did Brandon Prust realize that Rupp was thinking of someone else the whole time.

No. 1 Star: Michael Rupp. New York Rangers

There was plenty of unexpected drama at the Winter Classic, but the most unlikely element had to be Rupp playing the hero, scoring twice to get the Rangers back into a game that looked perilously close to slipping away. Not long after Rupp's second tied things at two, Brad Richards put the Rangers ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2. Thanks to Henrik Lundqvist, there they would stay: Among King Henrik's 34 stops was a Danny Briere penalty shot with only 19 seconds to go.

No. 2 Star: Cody Hodgson, Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks' rookie centre was in on both Vancouver goals in their 3-2 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, setting up Jannik Hansen to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead in the first and scoring a powerplay goal to tie the game 2-2 midway through the third. Unfortunately, his magic ended in regulation, as Antti Niemi stopped him and two others in the shootout, setting the stage for Michal Handzus to give the Sharks the 3-2 win.

No. 3 Star: Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators

For the second time in three games, Alfredsson scored in overtime on a powerplay shot from the dot, giving the Senators a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. It was Ottawa's third straight win. The shot was a laser:

Honourable mention: Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist during a five-minute powerplay to lead the Edmonton Oilers' to 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Ryan Smyth added a goal and an assist of his own, and Jordan Eberle picked up two assists. Meanwhile, Shawn Horcoff took 33 faceoffs... The Colorado Avalanche improved to 7-0 in the shootout this year, beating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Milan Hejduk scored the shootout winner, going five-hole on Jonathan Quick in the first round. Semyon Varlamov made 31 saves in the win.

Did you know? Ryan Nugent-Hopkins left the game versus the Blackhawks after losing an edge early in the first period and falling awkwardly into the boards. He did not return. On the plus side, it meant that he only lost one faceoff.

Dishonourable mention: The Kings went 0-for-4 with the man advantage versus the Avalanche. One of those powerplays was a 4-on-3 in overtime on which one assumes they would have preferred to score... Speaking of powerplays, the Oilers' five-minute powerplay was the result of a Dan Carcillo hit on Tom Gilbert which garnered an ejection and may earn a suspension...

Until you're actually on-site for one of these outdoor games, you really can't conceive of the dollar amounts the NHL is printing every January.

The crowds are enormous. Fans walk in already wearing that year's sweaters, and walk out of the game with bags of more swag — if they're patient enough to stand in the long lines for the merch tents. The village of sponsorship tents in front of the stadium are, we imagine, paying a nice sum for the real estate.

This is the reason the Winter Classic will endure for years to come, and the reason why we're probably all delusional about them holding a game some place that can't seat over 40,000 fans. Sorry, Central Park …

(It's also the reason why there are internal debates every season in the NHL about adding more outdoor games to the schedule, and there's a real pull by the money men and push back from the hockey people about that. My theory on how they'll do another one: Include the previous season's Stanley Cup Final teams in some kind of early-season regular-season outdoor game. Maybe even in the home stadium of the winner.)

The worst-kept secret around Citizens Bank Park during the 2012 NHL Winter Classic was that Ilya Bryzgalov is clinically insane.

The second worst-kept secret is that the next Winter Classic will be in Detroit next January.

It's at a point where people associated with the League speak about it with inevitability. In fact, Tom Wilson — President and CEO of Olympia Entertainment, which handles business operations for the Detroit Red Wings — was seen on-site in Philadelphia.

Where will it be held? Who will the Red Wings play? Where does the NHL go after that with its outdoor game?

Winter Classic 2013: Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs/St. Louis Blues/California-Based Team

The NHL is keen on having this game at The Big House in Ann Arbor, with the probability of attracting over 100,000 fans to a game if the tickets are priced favorably. But having it at the University of Michigan's stadium means sharing the wealth with someone outside the family.

Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, meanwhile, is in the family. He also owns and operates Comerica Park, home to the Detroit Tigers. So if it's not in the Big House, it'll be at that house.

There's also a chance for the NHL to turn this into a celebration of hockey in Michigan, with the Great Lakes Invitational rolling the week before the Classic.

As far as opponents go, I get the feeling this is going to be a mold-breaker after three straight Classics featuring predictable Northeast rivalries.

The Maple Leafs would be the first Canadian team in the Classic, which would risk some ratings for NBC but would fulfill the NHL's Original Six jones for this annual event. The more people I talk to, the more think this is a good possibility — especially to quiet Canadian critics writhing with jealousy over the Winter Classic being U.S.-centric.

This would also be a great spot to feature a team from California for the first time: The San Jose Sharks are a natural rival and a good fit here. Joe Thornton on "HBO 24/7" can only be a good thing.

(An aside: The "24/7" Effect is overrated, insofar as setting the matchups in these games. The network told me that they don't have sway over the teams involved; and, frankly, that the future of the series isn't exactly set in concrete after this season. More on that on Wednesday on Puck Daddy.)

Then there are the St. Louis Blues. A safe choice as a division rival and a cold-weather U.S. market. And as we know, you have to play on the road before you get one of these at home …

Winter Classic 2014: Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins/Chicago Blackhawks/California team

The NHL promised Ted Leonsis that the Classic will come to Washington, and we can expect that in 2014.

Or can we? From Leonsis himself:

So — to set the record straight — there has NOT been any communication to us on a formal basis as to a Winter Classic coming to DC in a specific year. I have been told that the Winter Classic will NOT be coming to DC next year though. I have also been assured that because of the size of our fan base — and the beauty of our city — that a Winter Classic would come to Washington DC; at some point in the future. And that is good enough for me.

Also— the idea of a game being played on the Mall has been floated around for many years — it is NOT feasible; there aren't enough common areas to build out seats — and the expense involved to create locker rooms; icestands and studios are prohibitive. The Mall is managed by the National Park Services; as well.

Nationals Park would be the most likely option — another picturesque stadium, but another baseball stadium. FedEx Field would offer capacity, little charm, and the displeasure of working with Daniel Snyder. The National Mall would be amazing from a television standpoint, less so from an tickets sold standpoint. Unless they're priced to high heaven.

My pipe dream is a Winter Classic at "neutral site" Camden Yards, as the Capitals have made inroads into the Baltimore market.

As far as opponents go, the NHL probably wouldn't hesitate to make the Capitals and Penguins the first Winter Classic rematch, given the enthusiasm of the fan bases and their familiarity to the casual fan. (Again, don't worry about the HBO Effect: The Dallas Cowboys have been on Hard Knocks multiple times, too.)

The Blackhawks have yet to be a road team for the Winter Classic. What we'd lose in natural rivalry we'd gain from the overall star-power in this matchup: Provided these teams are still thriving in 2014-15.

If a California team doesn't play in Detroit, this could also be a spot for either the Sharks or the Los Angeles Kings to play in the "OMG can a team from the West Coast actually survive the brutal 50-degree weather of Washington in January?!" game.

Winter Classic 2015: New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins/Montreal Canadiens/New York Islanders/New Jersey Devils/Buffalo Sabres/Los Angeles Kings

The Winter Classic should finally head to the Big Apple in 2015. Yankee Stadium is the facility the NHL wants, and pretty badly. The Pinstripe Bowl's contract runs through 2013, so who knows about availability in this season.

From the New York Times on a New York Winter Classic:

The N.H.L. has looked at Citi Field, MetLife Stadium, the Yale Bowl and West Point as possible sites, Collins said before the Flyers-Rangers alumni game at Citizens Bank Park Saturday afternoon.

"There are a lot of really great venues in the New York area," Collins said. "Yankee Stadium is obviously a special place, but we can't get in there for the next couple of years" because of college bowl game commitments. The Yankees have held the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30 the past two years. The Winter Classic is usually played on Jan. 1, although this time it will be played a day later to avoid television contract conflicts with the N.F.L.

As far as opponents go for the Rangers: The Boston Bruins are, by far, the best fit, as that sports city rivalry makes the one with Philadelphia look like a pillow fight.

If not the Bruins, then the Montreal Canadiens playing in Yankee Stadium — albeit the new one — offers a chance for the kind of gooey nostalgia the NHL loves, as the "New York Yankees of the NHL" come to New York to face the Rangers in the House That Followed The House That Ruth Built.

Would the NHL allow the Islanders or Devils in a Winter Classic? Would they risk loading up on one media market with the opponents? Probably not. The Sabres would offer the geographic rival without the market saturation.

Then there's the inevitable New York vs. Los Angeles matchup. No need to worry if the Kings fans won't travel; there might be one or two New Yorkers down with watching an outdoor game in a local ballpark.

Winter Classic 2016: St. Louis Blues/Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks; or, Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings

This is, obviously, spit-balling here, as no one knows what these teams will look like from a match-up perspective four years from now. But the idea of the Blackhawks playing in St. Louis seems like a perfect fit geographically and environmentally; ditto a Blackhawks visit to Minnesota, which badly wants a game and could probably fill two stadiums with the enthusiasm with which a Winter Classic would be met.

Like Minny, Colorado would offer the type of conditions that put the "winter" in Winter Classic. Finding a foil might prove tough, but the Detroit Red Wings seem the obvious choice.

But that's getting waaaaaay ahead of ourselves. It's four whole years from now! We could be watching the Winter Classic in our flying cars as the Seattle Bigfoots play Avangard Omsk on the friggin' moon …

Where do you see the NHL Winter Classic headed in the near future?

Defenseman Mike Green returns to the Washington Capitals' lineup on Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames, playing for the first time since straining his groin on Nov. 11.

Said Green on Monday after practice, regarding this game against this hometown team:

"I would love to. I've got to get back in to games," Green said, but acknowledged that the decision will not be his alone but made in conjunction with the team's doctors and athletic trainers. "Got to make sure we do this right. If it means not playing tomorrow and taking another week then we'll do it. As of right now I feel good and we'll assess it today."

According to Katie Carrera of the Washington Post, Alex Semin is scratched tonight (upper body injury) as the Capitals skate with seven defensemen.

The frustrating thing for the Capitals is that Mike Green's return to the lineup can legitimately be followed with the caveat "for how long?" nowadays.

He was limited to 49 games last season, and has played just eight this season. He said his groin injury is something he's "going to have to be cognizant of" for the rest of his career; which either speaks to it being chronic or just the nature of the pro hockey player.

Green returns at an interesting time for this Capitals team: Three straight wins and a 4-1-1 streak in the last two weeks under Dale Hunter, before heading to San Jose and Los Angeles, and then Pittsburgh next Wednesday.

They've shown flashes of playing the type of dominating, come-at-you-in-waves hockey that this lineup can play when it's on. They've also shown a propensity for baffling mental lapses during games that Bruce Boudreau couldn't coach out of them.

Welcome back, Mike Green. So what you can do to help Iginla notch No. 500 tonight, m'kay?

Dobber checks in every Monday to force-feed you the latest fantasy hockey trends. The founder of DobberHockey.com and a columnist for The Hockey News website, he long ago immersed himself into this rollercoaster world and is unable to escape.

Happy New Year! As the turn of the calendar signals upcoming midseason fantasy drafts, decisions on rebuilding or a balls-to-the-walls, all-or-nothing charge for the title, we'll take a look at the hottest fantasy players of the past month. December rankings again courtesy of Frozen Pool:

These fellas are wielding a hot stick. Take that into consideration when you go after them in trade talks...

Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver Canucks (26-4-16-20, plus-16, 21 PIM, 54 SOG) —Take a second look at those numbers from the last 25 games. If only I had the inclination to go through my Twitter feed from early November and search for keywords "Bieksa" and "sucks". If that doesn't show how fickle fantasy hockey is, nothing will.

Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia Flyers (14-8-8-16, plus-11, 35 PIM, 39 SOG) — Hartnell has had such a great year that he actually ranks second behind Daniel Sedin in roto-ranking for 2011-12. Season to date, he's sixth in plus/minus, 11th in goals, 14th in power-play points, 32nd in penalty minutes and first in hair awesomeness.

PA Parenteau, New York Islanders (9-3-7-10, even, 12 PIM, 28 SOG) — If Garth Snow didn't give this guy a chance, Parenteau (like Moulson before him), would be a top AHL scorer this season. Instead, he's in the Top 35 in the NHL. How many AHLers are in the same boat, but minus the great opportunity? Plenty. But that's hockey politics. Not a top draft pick? Already well into your 20s? Back of the line!

"Sell High" pick of the week: Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche. Five points in his last six games pushes him over the 20-point mark. That should be enough to gain some interest in roto leagues. His plus-8 leads the Avs by a wide margin and the Matt Duchene injury frees up some more power-play time. Use that sentence in trade talks and you'll close the deal. Because more often than not, the production of a rookie remains steady or slips a little in the second half.

Duds

Somebody wake these guys up — their fantasy owners are counting on them...

Dmitry Kulikov, Florida Panthers (11-0-0-0, minus-4, 10 PIM) — Other than a three-game stretch in early December, Kulikov has not been the same player since his lower body injury. To go from 17 points in 20 games to three in 18 is ouchie. Something's up.

Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche (7-0-0-0, even, 5 PIM, 19 SOG) — With five points in 15 games since his groin injury and nine in 21 before that, the decline is modest. But it relates to the arrival of Stefan Elliott, who is clearly the better PP QB. As such, do not expect things to turn around this year for E.J.

Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks (5-0-0-0, minus-6, 6 PIM, 88 SOG) — Bah, he was due for a market correction anyway, having started off at such a hot clip. Oh, Ryan GETZLAF! I thought you said Ryan O'Reilly. But Ryan Getzlaf yeah, I don't know what's going on with that guy. After four straight seasons of tallying at least a point per game, Getzlaf would need 57 points in 45 games to do it again. Certainly possible, but even if it doesn't happen he's not going to get any worse. Worth grabbing, if his owner is giving you a discount.

"Buy Low" pick of the week: Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens. The numbers: (1-6-0, 3.48 GAA, 0.889 SP). Fact 1: Peter Budaj is the backup. Fact 2: Lame-duck coach. They can't possibly stick with a coach whom the fans are against, through loss after loss. Given the above, Price will continue to play 99 percent of the games and a (hopefully soon) new coach will change some of these L's into W's. Right Bruce Boudreau? Oh, I mean…right Kirk Muller? Ah…well it's a theory that generally holds true, no?

The Wire...

Mostly short-term grabs here, but as always some potential steals...

Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks (16-7-6-13, plus-8, 6 PIM, 31 SOG) —Still only owned in 7% of leagues, Hansen has really found chemistry with Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond. In fact, his hot run coincides with Raymond's return.

Viktor Stalberg, Chicago Blackhawks (7-4-3-7, plus-3, 4 PIM, 19 SOG) — While Stalberg needs to work on his consistency, as evidenced by one-shot games sandwiching a recent nine-shot game, he has really benefited playing on a line with stars. As long as that lasts, he belongs on your team.

T.J. Galiardi, Colorado Avalanche (5-1-2-3, plus-1, 6 PIM, 12 SOG) —The recent numbers won't knock you off your chair, but beggars can't be choosers. Galiardi has seen a bump in ice time thanks to the Duchene injury and he has shown chemistry with Paul Stastny, his current linemate, in the past.

Jamie McGinn, San Jose Sharks (11-4-3-8, plus-1, 4 PIM, 25 SOG) — McGinn's hot run may be over, but he's still shooting the puck a lot and the Sharks play 13 times in the next 22 nights. He was plus-6 over his last 24 games, so he'll help you there, too.

Stefan Elliott, Colorado Avalanche (11-2-4-6, plus-4, 4 PIM, 24 SOG) — The Avs have won eight of their last 10. Is that because of Elliott's presence, or is he hot right now or is he hot right now because the team is winning? Actually, I believe that his numbers of the last 10 games will be typical of what Elliott will do in most 10-game windows that you take a snapshot of throughout his career. He'll be that good.

Curtis Glencross, Calgary Flames (14-8-6-14, Even, 2 PIM, 27 SOG) — Still owned in just 29% of Yahoo! leagues, Glencross is having a career year. He's playing with Jarome Iginla, and has been for quite some time so don't expect the streaky Glencross to hit a wall any time soon.

Jason Arnott, St. Louis Blues (9-4-3-7, even, 4 PIM, 26 SOG) —The name "Arnott" doesn't carry the same weight that it once did in fantasy circles, but he does have his moments. Even if he's slumping, he's racking up the shots on goal and he'll help with plus/minus. It makes him a great No.4 center option.

For more fantasy hockey tips, take a gander at DobberHockey. And while you're at it, follow Dobber's fantasy hockey musings on Twitter.

Now that the happy snowflakes from the Winter Classic have melted, the hockey world slowly turns its attention to a story at the other end of the NHL's financial spectrum: The Phoenix Coyotes.

The NHL still owns the Coyotes on Jan. 3, 2012, which is an embarrassment. When the League announced realignment, the Coyotes were treated as an uncertainty throughout the process. Two ownership groups — one led by former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison and the other fronted by Jerry Reinsdorf — are in the mix for the team but little progress appears to have been made.

Elliotte Friedman of CBC Sports reports that as of Sunday, the NHL has the legal right to negotiate with other cities for the relocation of the Coyotes. This is the last season the League will own the team. It doesn't want to move it — and, in turn, have Gary Bettman admit defeat and defend the millions the League spent propping up the franchise — but the possibility exists.

Where? Quebec City, we think, is a location the NHL wants to bleed for expansion fees; ditto a second team in Toronto, whose chances for existence may have increased with the ownership change for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Friedman floats Las Vegas as a longshot, as it's been for several years — which brings us to Seattle as a relocation site.

The NHL has confirmed talks with a prospective ownership group in Seattle. Local lawmakers have been working to fund a new arena. The Key is the key: Seattle's current arena, Key Arena, isn't very hockey friendly for an NHL team.

Writes Friedman:

The footprint is too small, featuring the same issues the Coyotes faced before the beautiful Glendale arena was built. They played at America West Arena, home of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, and there were many obstructed seats.

Don Levin, owner of the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves, wants this franchise. And the NHL likes him.

It makes sense for a basketball and a hockey team to share an arena. However, word is that talks between Levin and the potential NBA ownership group about a facility partnership recently fell apart. Can it be repaired? "These things are off and on and then on, etc. Hard to say if it is dead forever," said one source.

There's too much smoke with a Seattle bid to ignore it as an option. It's been a city interested in the NHL on several occasions in the last 20 years. The Pacific Northwest is seen as fertile ground for the League — recall Paul Allen wanting to bring the Coyotes to Portland in 2000.

Seattle-Tacoma is the 12th largest TV market in the U.S. (right ahead of Phoenix). And, of course, the cross-border rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks would make for some lively home games.

We're on the record as supporting the Coyotes staying in Glendale, if only to see if this fan base solidifies with (a) stable ownership and (b) a successful team; and, frankly, because otherwise the NHL has wasted everyone's time for the last few years, including that of (former) hockey fans in Atlanta.

But a team in Seattle makes us geek out. It just seems right. The jerseys will be some wicked shade of blue or green. They'll have great coffee in the press box. And maybe they'll even bring back Chewbacca as a mascot.

It's a Tuesday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Stars: Boyd Devereaux, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings, talks NHL, Winter Classic and his new gig.

• In which Marek and Wysh discuss the 2012 NHL Winter Classic.

• Daniel Carcillo is in big, big trouble.

• Ilya Bryzgalov is, frankly, insane.

• The John Tortorella NBC/refs conspiracy theory.

• Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: What did you think of the Winter Classic? Rate it against the other 4.

Email your answers to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet them with the hashtag #MvsW to either @jeffmarek or @wyshynski.

"Marek vs. Wyshynski" is a daily hockey radio program featuring Jeff Marek, on-air personality and columnist for Sportsnet, and Greg Wyshynski, your humble editor from Yahoo! Sports' Puck Daddy blog. We'll be speaking to the most interesting people in hockey, from Hall of Famers to beat writers to bloggers. We'll be debating the hottest topics in the NHL and beyond.

It's all about interaction, too: Email your thoughts to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet them with the hashtag #MvsW to either @jeffmarek or @wyshynski.

Click here for the Sportsnet live stream or click the play button above!

Click here to download podcasts from the show each day Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Feedburner.

There were mitigating circumstances, but the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers combined to produce the lowest Winter Classic overnight ratings since the NHL started the gimmick game.

From the Puck The Media:

According to Sports Business Daily (reg. required), NBC drew a 2.4 overnight rating. While this is still more than double what any indoor hockey game would draw and very solid for any January 2nd NHL game, this is the lowest overnight rating for any of the first five, and down 15% from last year's primetime edition of the game. The game faced heavy competition, including the Outback Bowl on ABC, which drew a 5.0, and the 9.0 overnight for the Rose Bowl on ESPN.

Winter Classic Overnights

2008, Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo, 1/1/08: 2.6
2009, Detroit vs. Chicago, 1/1/09: 2.9
2010, Philadelphia vs. Boston, 1/1/10: 2.6
2011, Washington vs. Pittsburgh, 1/1/11: 2.8
2012, NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia, 1/2/12: 2.4

The NHL probably isn't going to give a rat's patootie about these ratings. The Jan. 2 date (a Monday afternoon) and the shift in start time provide enough cover for the drop in viewership.

If there's any lesson to be learned here, it's the venue still matters: Wrigley and Fenway mattered; Citizens Bank Park didn't. If nothing else, it's an argument for The Big House over Comerica in Michigan. And for the League to get a little adventurous in its booking for 2013: As we said this morning, pop the Toronto Maple Leafs or the San Jose Sharks in the game.

But again: This game is increasingly becoming un-tethered to its TV ratings, like the All-Star Game has. It's all about the revenue generated onsite and online, and the fact is that the Flyers and Rangers drew over 45,000 fans for an alumni game and for the Winter Classic, and those fans purchased swag on Black Friday levels during the last few days.

There are reasons for this ratings drop; the Winter Classic being on the decline isn't one of them, at least in the metrics the NHL cares about.

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Dan Carcillo has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing with the Department of Player Safety after that hit on Tom Gilbert and for being Dan Carcillo. [NHL]

• With Carcillo himself injured, Sam Fels looks at life without Carbomb: "One the one had, it's a top six forward that just went down. On the other, Carcillo wasn't really a top six forward. He just happened to be playing there, occasionally well and occasionally not, and mostly in the middle. Car Bomb wasn't here to be a scorer, but to provide that beloved sandpaper. I don't actually know how much of that he was providing. There were a few games where he was noticeable physically, but there were also a few where he wasn't." [Second City Hockey]

• The Edmonton Oilers lose the Nuge, whose arm is in a sling. [Edmonton Journal]

• Jaromir Jagr is out 7-10 days with a calf injury, which is really, really good news for James van Riemsdyk fantasy owners. [Broad Street Bull]

• Well, the threat of Bell Centre protests worked. Montreal Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier apologized for hiring a unilingual English-speaking head coach. [The Gazette]

• Is Josh Gorges really worth $3.9 million per season? [Boone]

• Why an all-New York Winter Classic double-header involving all three local teams would be a winner. This idea is nuts. [Sports Media Watchdog]

• Five reasons the NHL's Winter Classic will rebound in the ratings for 2013. [Puck The Media]

• Previewing Canada and Russia battling for WJC gold. [Buzzing The Net]

• Some people watch out for the first baby born in 2012. The Pensblog, meanwhile, has spotted the first unsourced anonymous Sidney Crosby rumor of the year. [tPb]

• The top 10 Winter Classic moments. [Bourne]

• Good news for the Dallas Stars: Defenseman Stephane Robidas is nearly back from a foot injury. [Stars Blog]

• The Ottawa Senators, at the halfway point and looking darn good. [Welcome To Your Karlsson Years]

• So life pretty much sucks for the Columbus Blue Jackets. But hey, Ryan Johansen and John Moore have been OK. [The Cannon]

• Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Tuesday that the hockey club has acquired forward Nicolas Deschamps from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Luca Caputi. Deschamps has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. The Leafs have also recalled defenceman Korbinian Holzer and assigned forward Philippe Dupuis to the Marlies. [Leafs]

• No Ryan Malone for the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight; Nate Thompson is a game-time decision. [Lightning Strikes]

• Eric Fehr takes Claude Noel's criticism in stride. [QMI]

• Nice work on the Colorado Avalanche and their playoff push: "Eighth is nice, but the Avs are just on 90-point pace. No Western team has made the playoffs with 90 points post-lockout. Two teams have made it with 91 and two have with 92, but 90 hasn't cut it; really, any Avalanche fan should be able to tell you that 95 doesn't always cut it. Since the lockout, 96 has been the automatic entry point in the West - every team to get to 96 points has made the postseason." [Mile High Hockey]

• The Carolina Hurricanes lose Joni Pitkanen for a month. [Canes Country]

• Finally, this is pretty ingenious: In honor of the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins facing off this weekend, The Stanchion has footage of the rematch between Brad Marchand and Daniel Sedin. Although we do find it hard to believe Marchand wouldn't be the one with the crotch chops. [Legion of Blog]

In a perfect hockey world -- i.e. one in which hatred of a rival doesn't trump a feelgood story -- every fan in the NHL would be pulling for Randy Cunneyworth to succeed as Montreal Canadiens coach.

First, because he played for the Whale, and is therefore something close to royalty. Second, because he's yet another hard-working, blue collar guy who has to deal with a complete jack-wagon for a boss.

As you may have heard, Montreal Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier folded under the pressure from the growing Francophone protests about his hiring of Cunneyworth as interim (emphasis ours) coach, the first Habs bench boss not to also speak French in 40 years.

From the AP:

"We're disappointed and we're sorry if we offended anybody by hiring someone who is not bilingual right now, but when you're in the middle of a season and you're trying to effect change and you're having the difficulties we were having, you evaluate all your options," said Gauthier.

"We felt the best option at this time was to work from within the organization. Those things can be taken care of in due time, but having a bilingual head coach of the Montreal Canadiens is very important and it's something that will be part of our decision going forward.".

Gauthier said that if Randy Cunneyworth learned French, then perhaps he could be a candidate to stay on as head coach.

So Randy Cunneyworth said on Tuesday that he's learning French, via the CP:

'With any team, it can be uncertain if you don't win or accomplish the goals you set forth,'' he said. ''I'm working hard to pick up the language as much as I can and as quickly as I can.

''Hopefully that will be the case by the time some of the decisions are made. A lot will depend on how successful this team is and that's really my priority right now. The language is secondary, but very important as well for me because I think it's an important marketplace where I'd love to be able to address everybody in both languages and talk to everybody concerning hockey.''

So it's a race against time! Randy Cunneyworth, picking up French hockey terms from players and employees, trying to be able to order a full meal in a bistro before the axe falls! Get this man a Rosetta Stone and a copy of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy, stat!

Again, we want nothing more than for Cunneyworth to turn this team around, win a round in the playoffs and then enter the GM's office singing "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien." Alas, the team is 1-6-0 under him and fighting in practice and not really looking all that good. It's entirely possible he'll be swapped out for a bilingual replacement before he learns how to conjugate a verb.

Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Gary looks fun.

Preview: Detroit Red Wings at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. EST. Mike Commodore is "starting to actually feel like a hockey player again" now that he's playing in his sixth straight game. Winging It's message to Stars fans: "Sorry Dallas, the only stars you'll be seeing tonight are the ones wearing the Winged Wheel and the stars floating around your head after you get Kronwalled."

Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. EST. The Sabres have lost six of seven games. Jason Pominville has the flu. Coach Lindy Ruff may put Derek Roy with Thomas Vanek, seeing as how Roy has 2 goals in his last 21(!) games. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is out for the Oilers with a shoulder injury. Josh Green to the rescue!

Preview: Calgary Flames vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. EST. The Capitals are starting to turn the corner with Dale Hunter behind the bench and get Mike Green back tonight. The Flames had lost three in a row after winning the first two games of a seven-game road trip. Jarome Iginla shoots for No. 500 tonight; since it's against a Capitals goaltender, chances are it end up behind him.

Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. EST. The Bolts are 5-1-1 in their last seven while the Leafs are 1-2-1 in the last four. The Monster gets the call for the Leafs over the struggling James Reimer. Ryan Malone is out after an injury in practice for the Bolts.

Preview: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. EST. The Hurricanes stink, but they have won 4 of 5 games at home recently and are 10-0-2 against the Islanders in their last 12 games. Evgeni Nabokov faces Cam Ward as the hockey world anticipates coach Kirk Muller's first game against a team he played 27 games with in the mid 1990s.

Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m. EST. The Blues ended 2011 with a thud, losing three straight games. If you didn't already think this was going to be a low-scoring affair, the Coyotes get Mike Smith back tonight.

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.

Evening Reading

• Krys Barch's agent said he is "100 percent confident that Krys will be proven that he did no wrong and there were no racial undertones or slur stated. I want to call it a miscommunication or misunderstanding. I'm confident the league will clear him of any wrong-doing." [Sun Sentinel]

• Just a sad, sad story here: Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High Red Knights junior varsity star Jack Jablonski was paralyzed when he was accidentally checked from behind into the end boards during a Holiday Hockey Classic Tournament game against Wayzata (Minn.) High on Friday night. [Prep Rally]

• Picking on Danny Briere's contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. [Orange and Black Report]

• Nazem Kadri on the Leafs in the Winter Classic: "It's something that definitely needs to happen for sure." [The Star]

• The eighth biggest market for Winter Classic ratings? You guessed it: Richmond, Virginia. [Puck The Media]

• This is a rather deplorable scene between some Flyers and Rangers fans. Strong language and violence warning. [YouTube]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day: Tommy V. on the NHL to Seattle:

Seattle has no potential ownership group, no NHL-ready arena to play in, and supposedly would also have to have an NBA team to share a mythical arena with in a town that keeps voting against publicly-subsidized this and that. Is this really a story?

Portland has an NHL-ready arena that currently houses an NBA team. The WHL Portland Winterhawks have a billionaire owner who has stated (as recently as December 2011) that he is interested in bringing NHL hockey to Portland. The city has two sports teams that sell out every single game. The NBA Trailblazers have over 100 consecutive sell-outs. The MLS Timbers sold out every regular-season home game in season 1 and currently have a waiting list of 5000 for season tickets which are already sold out for the upcoming 2012 season.

Seattle's MLB Mariners play to roughly 50% capacity. The Seahawks come close to sell-outs but still cannot sell out just eight home games per season. In Seattle, you need to win to have attendance. In Portland, you just need to be team in one of the five major sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS).

The conversation here should be a about Portland, not Seattle.

Bold Prediction: The Caps keep Iggy from No. 500.