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Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:32 pm EST

Pass or Fail: The NHL playing games on Christmas Day

By Sean Leahy

Hockey on New Year's Day is pretty much a sure thing from here on out; depending on, of course, if college football ever decides to put more of its 215 bowl games back to Jan. 1.

But according to Kevin Allen of USA Today, along with your spiked eggnog and numerous soon-to-be exchanged presents there might be two hockey games added to your Christmas festivities in the not-so-distant future. Much like the duck from "A Christmas Story," holiday hockey is something that could put a smile on the faces of hockey fans everywhere.

National Hockey League Players Association Director Paul Kelly has said he wanted to see games played on Christmas Day since he took the job in 2007: "Our feeling is, 'Why should the NBA have that day to itself?'"

The idea would have two showcase games between local rivals to cut down on holiday travel. Think New York Rangers-Boston Bruins or Edmonton Oilers-Calgary Flames; something along those lines to make it feasible to both players and the league's television partners.

According to USA Today: "Having completed his fall tour with players, Kelly said he came away believing the majority of players are open to the idea of having one early game and one late game that could be featured on national television."

Currently, it's written in the collective bargaining agreement that no games are to be scheduled on Dec. 24 or 25, but as NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was quoted in the article, the League has been looking to put games on Christmas Day for over a decade; and with the ratings success of the Winter Classic, a national game on Christmas night could whet the appetites for the outdoor game one week later.

Putting hockey games on Christmas is a bold move by the League and its players, but with the NHL brimming with confidence from their New Year's Day conquest with the Winter Classic, Dec. 25 can eventually become the perfect advertisement for wherever the outdoor game will be played. It won't be easy, especially with the NBA having games on Christmas every year (including five last month); but when you're a league struggling to gain a foothold from the national television perspective, it's definitely worth the chance. So ...

Pass or Fail: The NHL playing games on Christmas Day?

(H/T to Kukla for the find.)

Related: Hockey Fans, When Hockey and Hollywood Collide

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168 Comments

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  1. banginpanger.com
    1. Posted by banginpanger.com Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm EDT

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    Fail: Thats a basketball thing, and it's garbage.
    Pass: More Mrs. Clause outfits for ice girls.
  2. Tacks
    2. Posted by Tacks Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

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    Fail: Only basketball players welcome the ability to avoid a hectic Christmas holiday schedule juggling time with multiple baby-families.
  3. Hamilton Tigers
    3. Posted by Hamilton Tigers Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    FAIL - I need a couple days off before I watch way too much hockey starting Boxing Day with the Spengler Cup, World Juniors, NHL, KHL, Champions League until I return to work...
  4. blurt
    4. Posted by blurt Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:34 pm EDT

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    pass: any day without a hockey game is not good enough.
  5. mark w
    5. Posted by mark w Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    pass-basketball sucks
  6. hellozero
    6. Posted by hellozero Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:00 pm EDT

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    fail if the late game is on versus
  7. Runnin up on ya !
    7. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    Fail: Yes, I would probly try to watch the game although most likely would be out voted by the female population in said household. But there is one thing the NHL and NFL have in common and that is they are the quinticential family front yard sporting event at the holidays so why take that away from the players and their families, the NFL hasn't donr that to it's players and the NBA is 85% full of malcontents with no daddies to share the holiday with anyway so let them have it. For crying out loud department stores have bastardised the holiday enough making clercks work because 3-4 happless jerky's have to get a pack of smokes or a beer. If there was ever one, absolute time of the year that in the big picture of things money should not be an issue then this is that time.
  8. Paul Nicholson
    8. Posted by Paul Nicholson Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    PASS. Holiday games are a great draw for families that are too busy otherwise. More eyes are available on TV and more butts are available for seats.
    The players may not love it, but they'll live. They're getting paid $milllions to have Christmas a day early or day late with the kids. Lots of people have to work Christmas.
  9. Curt S
    9. Posted by Curt S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    Pass! Emphatic Pass! I can think of nothing better than watching Crosby go head-to-head with Ovechkin while eating Christmas brunch. On a mostly unrelated note; pass to Ms.Claus snow-shovel girls as well.
  10. Paul Nicholson
    10. Posted by Paul Nicholson Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    Also...there are games on New Years, Thanksgiving, and other holidays - why is Christmas any different? If anything, a larger percentage of the population celebrates those holidays than the religious holiday of Christmas.
  11. Shyster
    11. Posted by Shyster Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    Fail from the perspective of a player.
    Great Big Pass as someone who loves to watch.
  12. Duk
    12. Posted by 'Duk Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    Pass -- But I'd keep it to only one spotlight game, not two. Let guys get off on the idea of the rest of the league watching them in a showcase.
  13. Tito "TD" O'Dell
    13. Posted by Tito "TD" O'Dell Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    Fail: The NBA is gracious enough to not play on January 1st. I'd say the NHLPA enjoys the better day off (hangovers not withstanding).
    @ Paul Kelly - you have got to be the only union leader to ever lobby for an unpaid, mandatory work day on Christmas.
    @ Sean Leahy - I couldn't figure out why you guys keep referencing an early 80's Canadian film not titled "Slapshot" or "Porky's", until I just googled A Christmas Story. I'm not sure if I still get TBS (unless it is indeed the same thing as Peachtree TV), but I never knew Americans watched more airings of that film than It's a Wonderful Life. I'm not sure just how Canadian a film shot in Cleveland and starring a bunch of American actors can be, but if it is, it seems far more famous than Strange Brew. I don't think I've seen the film in 20-25 years.
  14. Tito "TD" O'Dell
    14. Posted by Tito "TD" O'Dell Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    @ Kev - a fair compromise. Would you envision a traditional matchup, year-in year-out, a la Detroit or Dallas?
  15. Ashlee T
    15. Posted by Ashlee T Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    FAIL : The players should be spending time with there family. All of you who think pass are selfish. Your thinking about only you the fan in this case. I mean i would love to watch hockey on Christmas but its not right to our players yanno the ones were fans of?!?
  16. Tito "TD" O'Dell
    16. Posted by Tito "TD" O'Dell Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    Lions and Cowboys, that is...
  17. Caroline
    17. Posted by Caroline Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

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    Fail. It's a 82-game season. Let the players have some time to their family around the holidays. Besides, with all the festivities going on, I doubt I'd be able to watch a game on Christmas.
  18. Leahy
    18. Posted by Leahy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:27 pm EDT

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    @Runnin up on ya !: the NHLPA is sprearheading this, so there's obviously no issue with the players
  19. Jon A
    19. Posted by Jon A Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    FAIL for 2 reasons:
    1. An attempt to copy the most worthless, screwed-up, thug-infested sports organization (NBA).
    2. They wouldn't get half the viewers that the Winter Classic gets on NYD. They wouldn't get this viewer for sure.
  20. brian d
    20. Posted by brian d Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:41 pm EDT

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    PASS
    The players are in the entertainment business.
  21. Brad_Lee
    21. Posted by Brad_Lee Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Make it Christmas night, one game, NBC. Great idea.
  22. jesters_13
    22. Posted by jesters_13 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

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    Fail - Its Christmas, and its nice that Hockey allows its players to spend the day with family.
  23. GM
    23. Posted by GM Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    this is tough....
    fail...I don't see putting games on Christmas changing anything as far as TV ratings go. no one new is going to tune in just cause it is on Christmas.
  24. Sobu
    24. Posted by Sobu Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    Fail.
    There is no need. It's just a gimmick and I think they'd find that more people are busy during Christmas than they wanted.
    No need to change, no hockey on Christmas isn't hurting the NHL, so why change that?
  25. Cd T
    25. Posted by Cd T Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:39 pm EDT

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    How can the Kings call themselves Kings when they have never won a Stanley Cup?
    They should be renamed the L.A. Queens since they are from L.A. and have a tiara on their uniform!

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