Follow Us
CHICAGO, IL – What has become a National Hockey League tradition began as an experiment in Buffalo on New Year’s Day in 2008 continues.

On that first day of the year, the host Sabres battled the just-down-the-road Pittsburgh Penguins in what ended up being a cold, snow globe day and a regular season outdoor hockey game decided with a shootout goal by Sidney Crosby’s giving his club the 4-3 victory.
Since then, fourteen Winter Classic games and a total of forty-one outdoor NHL games have taken place in the modern area, beginning with the 2003 Heritage Classic when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in what felt like a minus 22 Fahrenheit with the wind chill.
Typically held on New Year’s Day at an American site, this year’s edition will be held of a different day than the previous fifteen have been held. Essentially, this is the second 2024 Winter Classic, the other held at Seattle’s Safeco Field when the home Kraken defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0.
This year, 2024 will end with the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, the second time the classic baseball park hosts the outdoor game. It will be the first time and part of a continuing schedule in which the famed game will be played on New Year’s Eve day.
To commemorate this year’s game, the league chose not to have the year on the logo, the first time it has been missing since the inaugural event.

The Wrigley Field marquee is prominent in the game’s mark with its rich red color while the famous outfield wall with ivy and brick prominent at the bottom along with the six-point stars, prominent on the city’s flag, on either side of Chicago. Incidentally, the six points represent transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and salubrity (health).
A look back to see the progression of the Winter Classic logos over the years can be found here at Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos webpage.
https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/2804/NHL_Winter_Classic
Late last week, the uniforms for this year’s event were unveiled with both teams, taking an old-school theme and applying it to how the team’s will be represented on the ice.
The Blackhawks were challenged and inspired to create something different for a team who has been represented in four Winter Classic games and two Stadium Series games.
The Blackhawks uniform pays homage to their rich heritage, while introducing distinctive new design elements. The jersey features a classic lace-neck collar, reminiscent of hockey’s early days, complemented by a vintage cream color that captures the nostalgic spirit of the Original Six era. The front crest includes stars from the Chicago flag and the back numbers incorporate subtle pinstripes, a tribute to Chicago’s deep baseball tradition, since the game is being played at the home of the Chicago Cubs.
St. Louis are readying to play in their third outdoor game, all of which falling within the scheme of the Winter Classic.
The Blues’ uniform pays homage to St. Louis’ hockey heritage. The jersey’s primary wordmark represents the first time in team history that a “Blue Note” is not the principal design element appearing on the chest. The font styling and numbers are inspired by an unworn prototype Blues uniform from 1966, and the jersey also includes a newly designed vintage-style Blue Note on the shoulder. Lastly, fleur-de-lis designs are featured on the inside back neck and hem loop labels to honor the city of St. Louis.

Below is a look back at the Winter Classic uniforms worn by the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues.
2009 Winter Classic – Chicago Blackhawks

2015 Winter Classic – Chicago Blackhawks

2017 Winter Classic – Chicago Blackhawks

2019 Winter Classic – Chicago Blackhawks

2017 Winter Classic – St. Louis Blues

2022 Winter Classic – St. Louis Blues

Upcoming stories will include details of witnessing a game at Wrigley Field, things to do while in Chicago, selecting where to sit, events surrounding the big game and other interesting details all in an effort to capture the essence of the Winter Classic.
ennis Morrell has developed a deeply rooted passion for our game over many decades as a g
Dennis Morrell has developed a deeply rooted passion for our game over many decades as a goaltender, writer, photographer, goalie coach, and active Level 3 USA Hockey-certified, on-ice official with over 2,000 games with the whistle. His passion for the game began in the early 70s upon his first glance at players battling for the puck at Clayton’s Shaw Park.

And yes, the ice is perfect.

He has been fortunate to journalistically cover 2 NHL Entry Drafts, 5 NHL All-Star Games, 8 NHL Outdoor Games in two countries and 25 games played in the context of 10 Stanley Cup Final series, witnessing the oldest trophy in sports lifted by the champion 4 times, including when his beloved hometown team, the St. Louis Blues, won their first chalice in 2019.

He has witnessed over 1,000 major and minor professional games in over 250 different arenas. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.oaltender, writer, photographer, goalie coach, and active Level 3 USA Hockey-cert

Forgot your password?
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.


You must be to post a comment.

source