The 2012 NHL Winter Classic

NHL Winter Classic

The NHL Winter Classic is an annual event held by the National Hockey League on New Year's Day where regular-season games are played outdoors, in areas hosted by NHL teams. Though largely derived from the Heritage Classic outdoor game held in Edmonton in 2003, the Winter Classic has so far only...

(known via corporate sponsorship as the Bridgestone

Bridgestone

The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....

 NHL Winter Classic) will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

 at Citizens Bank Park

Citizens Bank Park

Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...

, home of the Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 with the host Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 playing against their long-time Atlantic Division rival

Flyers–Rangers rivalry

The Philadelphia Flyers–New York Rangers rivalry is one of the most storied and well known rivalries in the National Hockey League...

s, the New York Rangers

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

. The original plan was to have the contest at the Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

' home, Lincoln Financial Field

Lincoln Financial Field

Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...

; however, the Eagles are scheduled to be play there the day before, and the NHL needed at least a week of preparation time to build the ice rink onto the field. The game is set to return to its daytime time slot, with the Rangers-Flyers game scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. This marks the first time the Winter Classic will not be played on New Year's Day

New Year's Day

New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...

, as it falls on a Sunday, and the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 has a full slate of games scheduled on that day, including a game at Lincoln Financial Field

Lincoln Financial Field

Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...

 in which the Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 will be hosting the Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

. Another reason the Winter Classic is being played on January 2 is to avoid conflict with the Mummer's Parade in downtown Philadelphia.

Broadcasting

The game will be telecast on NBC in the United States, CBC

Hockey Night in Canada

Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...

 (English) and RDS

Réseau des sports

Réseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc....

 (Francophone) in Canada. Local radio broadcasts are scheduled to be taken up with WIP-AM/FM in Philadelphia and WEPN

WEPN

WEPN is a 24-hour sports talk formatted radio station in New York City featuring national and local sports talk programs and live broadcasts of sports matches. It is the New York affiliate for ESPN Radio...

 in New York City, while Sirius XM Radio will produce a satellite radiocast.

Associated events

An alumni game between former Flyers and Rangers players is scheduled for December 31st. The game will be broadcast live by Versus.

The American Hockey League

American Hockey League

The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 has scheduled an outdoor game, one of two the AHL will hold during the 2011–12 season, for January 6 on the same surface. The Adirondack Phantoms

Adirondack Phantoms

The Adirondack Phantoms are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League , who began play in the 2009–10 AHL season. The Phantoms are based in Glens Falls, New York, playing home games at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The Phantoms are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers...

, formerly based in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Phantoms

The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...

 and the Flyers' AHL affiliate, will host the Hershey Bears

Hershey Bears

The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...

.

Alumni rosters

These rosters have been announced for the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Alumni Game.
New York Rangers

Coaches: Mike Keenan

Mike Keenan

Michael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...

, Emile Francis

Emile Francis

Emile "The Cat" Francis is a former player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably with the New York Rangers....

 and Colin Campbell

• Glenn Anderson
  Glenn Anderson
  Glenn Christopher Anderson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger in the National Hockey League who played for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues...
  
  
• Dan Blackburn
  Dan Blackburn
  Daniel Blackburn is a retired Canadian professional hockey goaltender. He played 63 regular-season games for the New York Rangers, going 20–32–11 with 1 shutout.-Minor league career:...
  
  
• Paul Broten
  Paul Broten
  Paul Newell Broten is a retired professional hockey player who played in 322 games in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and St. Louis Blues. He shoots right-handed and played right wing....
  
  
• Ron Duguay
  Ron Duguay
  Ronald Duguay is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach who played 12 seasons in the NHL from 1977 through 1989, and served four seasons as a minor league coach...
  
  
• Nick Fotiu
• Mike Gartner
  Mike Gartner
  Michael Alfred Gartner is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes...
  
  
• Adam Graves
  Adam Graves
  Adam Graves is a former professional hockey player. He is best-known for his ten-year tenure with the New York Rangers. He also played for the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, and San Jose Sharks...
  
  
• Ron Greschner
  Ron Greschner
  Ronald John Greschner is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL for 16 seasons between 1974 and 1990....
  
  
• Darius Kasparaitis
  Darius Kasparaitis
  Darius Kasparaitis is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman. Known by the nickname Kaspar, he has dual citizenship in both the United States and Russia, and he has played for the Russian national ice hockey team.- Playing career :Kasparaitis left Lithuania for Russia at age 14 after...
  
  
• Kris King
  Kris King
  Kristopher King is a former Canadian NHL hockey player. He played 14 seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Chicago Blackhawks...
  
  
• Nick Kypreos
  Nick Kypreos
  Nikos Kypreos is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger of Greek descent. He played eight seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs...
  
  
• Tom Laidlaw
  Tom Laidlaw
  Thomas John Laidlaw is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Laidlaw started his National Hockey League career with the New York Rangers in 1980, arriving from Northern Michigan University. He also played for the Los Angeles Kings. He left the NHL after the 1990 season. He played 1 season for...
  
  
• Darren Langdon
  Darren Langdon
  Darren Langdon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. He was undrafted but signed his first pro contract in 1993 with the New York Rangers...
  
  
• Brian Leetch
  Brian Leetch
  Brian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
  
  
• Dave Maloney
  Dave Maloney
  David Wilfred Maloney is a former professional ice hockey defenceman who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 until 1984–85....
  
  
• Stephane Matteau
  Stephane Matteau
  Stéphane Matteau is a former National Hockey League player.As a member of the New York Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup Championship team, Matteau is most remembered for scoring two overtime goals in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils...
  
  
• Brian Mullen
  Brian Mullen
  Brian Patrick Mullen is a former professional ice hockey player who spent eleven seasons in the NHL playing for the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, and New York Islanders...
  
  
• Dale Purinton
  Dale Purinton
  Dale Purinton is the head coach of the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the British Columbia Hockey League and a retired professional ice hockey defenceman, known as an enforcer, who played 181 games for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Enforcer Dale Purinton was...
  
  
• Mathieu Schneider
  Mathieu Schneider
  Mathieu Schneider is a American former professional ice hockey player. Considered an offensive defenseman, Schneider played 1289 games in the National Hockey League with ten different teams, scoring 233 goals and totalling 743 points...
  
  
• Darren Turcotte
  Darren Turcotte
  Darren Turcotte is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is the former head coach of the Team USA inline hockey team.Turcotte was drafted in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers...
  
  
• John Vanbiesbrouck
  John Vanbiesbrouck
  John "Beezer" Vanbiesbrouck is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender, who was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. He played in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils...
  
  

Philadelphia Flyers

Coaches: Pat Quinn

Pat Quinn (ice hockey)

John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...

, Mike Nykoluk

Mike Nykoluk

Mike Nykoluk is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played one season in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and who coached for seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs...

 and Keith Primeau

Keith Primeau

Keith Primeau is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers...

.

• Bill Barber
  Bill Barber
  William Charles Barber is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League . As part of the famed LCB line, Barber helped lead the Flyers to the franchise's two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975...
  
  
• Terry Carkner
  Terry Carkner
  Terry Kenneth Carkner is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Quebec Nordiques, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers...
  
  
• Bobby Clarke
  Bobby Clarke
  Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
  
  
• Eric Desjardins
  Eric Desjardins
  Éric Desjardins is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993 and headlined the Flyers defence for over a decade...
  
  
• Jim Dowd
• Larry Goodenough
  Larry Goodenough
  Larry J. "Izzy" Goodenough is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks...
  
  
• Derian Hatcher
  Derian Hatcher
  Derian Hatcher is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers...
  
  
• Al Hill
• Mark Howe
  Mark Howe
  Mark Steven Howe is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League and 6 seasons in the World Hockey Association . He is the son of Colleen and Gordie Howe, and early in his career was a teammate of his father...
  
  
• Bob Kelly
• Orest Kindrachuk
  Orest Kindrachuk
  Orest Michael Kindrachuk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals...
  
  
• Mark LaForest
  Mark Laforest
  Mark Andrew "Trees" LaForest is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. LaForest played for four NHL teams in his career before he retired with the Ottawa Senators. For a short time early in the 2000s LaForest help coach minor hockey in Wainfleet, Ontario...
  
  
• John LeClair
  John LeClair
  John Clark LeClair is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins...
  
  
• Reggie Leach
  Reggie Leach
  Reginald Joseph Leach is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. He is best known for his time in Philadelphia, winning a Stanley Cup with...
  
  
• Eric Lindros
  Eric Lindros
  Eric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
  
  
• Ken Linseman
  Ken Linseman
  Kenneth "The Rat" Linseman is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs...
  
  
• Neil Little
  Neil Little
  Neil Little is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers organization nearly his entire professional career, helping backstop the Philadelphia Phantoms to two Calder Cup championships and playing in two career National Hockey League games...
  
  
• Brad Marsh
  Brad Marsh
  Charles Bradley Marsh is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators.-Playing career:Originally selected by the...
  
  
• Shjon Podein
  Shjon Podein
  Shjon Podein is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues....
  
  
• Dave Poulin
  Dave Poulin
  David James Poulin is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.-Playing career:...
  
  
• Brian Propp
  Brian Propp
  Brian Phillip Propp is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1979 until 1994...
  
  
• Mark Recchi
  Mark Recchi
  Mark Louis Recchi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 22 years in the National Hockey League , most notably for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens...
  
  
• Jeremy Roenick
  Jeremy Roenick
  Jeremy Shaffer "J.R." Roenick is a former American professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League . He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks over the course of his 18 NHL...
  
  
• Kjell Samuelsson
  Kjell Samuelsson
  Kjell Samuelsson is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning...
  
  
• Chris Therien
  Chris Therien
  Christopher Bowie Therien , affectionately known as Bundy, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 12 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars. He is currently the color commentator on Philadelphia Flyers radio broadcasts on 610 WIP...
  
  
• Rick Tocchet
  Rick Tocchet
  Richard Tocchet is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes. He was most recently the head coach of the...
  
  
• Joe Watson