From the Pregame Wire:

Comcast Sportsnet is reporting that the Chicago Blackhawks will play the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field in the NHL's Winter Classic in January. An official announcement is supposed to be made next week. The Blackhawks were in competetion with the Rangers and Yankee Stadium for the outdoor game, but there were problems with the Yankee Stadium bid. This season's Winter Classic between the Sabres and Pittsburgh in Buffalo drew over 71,000 fans on January 1. It will be quite a game in January to see two of the original six clash in the outdoor game.

 Friggin awesome.  I may have to fly back up for that game.

NOW, THE NHL IS REALLY ONTO SOMETHING!

THAT NEW YEAR'S DAY GAME IN BUFFALO WAS SO COMPELLING - I HEARD SO MANY NON-HOCKEY FOLKS TAKING ABOUT IT AFTERWARD.....

ALSO THINK THOSE GAMES IN CALGARY / EDMONTON ARE TRULY MORE THAN A NOVEL IDEA - THEY COULD BECOME A FREQUENT EVENT THAT ONLY WORKED IN THOSE FAR NORTH CANADIAN CITIES...AND WHAT A HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE, TOO!

THEY HAD AN OUTDOOR GAME IN EDMONTON A FEW YEARS BACK - RIGHT?  I RECALL IT WAS PLAYED IN ESKIMO (?) CFL STADIUM, IN SUB ZERO TEMPS - YET IT HAD 50K + SPECTATORS, RIGHT?

ALSO, ANYONE WHO SPENT ANY TIME IN THE UPPER MIDWEST REMEMBERS OUTDOOR RINKS, ECT....

I JUST TRULY THINK THIS IS A TERRIFIC IDEA....UNLESS, OF COURSE THEY GET A WARM FRONT AND IT'S UNSEASONABLY WARM....STILL BE GOOD, BUT NOT NEARLY AS COOL AS THAT GAME IN SNOW STORM!...

I SPENT TWO WINTERS IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN....I REMEMBER THE OUTDOOR, LOCAL RINK WITH SPLINTERY, PLYWOOD BOARDS AND BUMPY, SHARP JAGGED ICE SURFACE.....AND FROSTBITE THAT STILL BOTHERS ME IN COLD WEATHER.....

THANKFUL AS HELL FOR IT THOUGH....SINCE IT ACCELERATED MY TRANSITION INTO PLAYING HOOPS IN WINTER INSTEAD!  

Maybe if they're lucky, there will be enough compacted snow in Wrigley that they won't have to bother making ice :)  Sounds like an awesome event to be a part of

 They'll have all the right equipment,even if it's unseasonably warm. Pretty safe bet in Chicago though I would think.  I hear that they are thinking of having another in Pittsburgh on the same day.  The 2 games so-far have been very cool, with perfect weather, great idea for sure.

Curious on why they would not play it in Michigan? Somewhere like Ford Field? When Michigan played Michigan State outside at East Lansing they drew 75,000 people.