Report: NHL Considering Additional Winter Classic in 2010?

The NHL has its fair share of critics for its overwhelming inability to successfully market its sport, and nine times out of 10, that criticism would be accurate (unfortunately). The one exception? The NHL's recent experiment with the Winter Classic, and it may be on the verge of screwing that up, as well.

After successfully selling out Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo and historic Wrigley Field in Chicago, reports are indicating that this year's game will take place at Fenway Park in Boston, though the league has yet to make an official announcement.

If we're to believe ESPN's E.J. Hradek, there could be a second outdoor game on January 1, 2010.

From Hradek:

The NHL is hoping to double down on the success of its Winter Classic by planning a second outdoor game for Jan. 1, 2010, according to multiple league sources. The back-end of the outdoor doubleheader would be hosted by the Flames in Calgary's McMahon Stadium, the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1988 Winter Olympics. The opponent is unknown but figures to be one of the other five Canadian-based franchises.

There's no denying the success of the first two classics, not only in terms of ticket sales, but also in terms of television ratings, especially when you consider it's going up against the behemoth that is college football bowl games. The problem with a second game, however, is you run the risk of having the novelty of the event wear off. Once a year seems like the perfect number. Any more than that and it's possible it could become "just another game" on the schedule ... and no longer "a classic."

To this point, the league has played three regular season outdoor games, while the first was the Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens in 2003. In 2007-08, the Penguins and Sabres played in Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium in front of 71,000 fans, while the Red Wings and Blackhawks packed Wrigley Field this past season.

I'm not against the idea of Calgary (or any Canadian city, for that matter) getting a crack at this year's game. Frankly, I like that idea better than Fenway Park. Not because I don't think Boston wouldn't respond well (because it most definitely would) but mainly because we've already done the classic baseball stadium theme (and please, for the love of all that is holy, no "Take Me Out to the Hockey Game" this time around).

At this point nothing is official, but please, NHL, let's not ruin a good thing.