NHL Winter Classic 2012: Lack of Canadian Teams Is Hurting Event

The NHL's premier regular season event is the Winter Classic, and while the league has done almost everything right in making sure it's a spectacular event, the lack of Canadian teams is one thing the league needs to address.

This year's Winter Classic features an historic rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park, and although this is an exciting matchup that will be well worth watching on TV, the league can do better.

The Flyers are taking part in their second Winter Classic since the event began in 2008. Philly lost to the Boston Bruins in 2010 at Fenway Park in overtime 2-1.

The NHL should have had the Bruins play their arch rivals, the Montreal Canadiens back in 2010.

That matchup would have been much better and could have allowed the game's greatest rivalry to take center stage in a once in a lifetime setting.

I understand the event makes a lot of money for the league and they try to maximize the American viewership, but the event would be so much better with Canadian teams because many of the sport's best players star for Canadian teams.

After all, the game is most popular in Canada and there are several deserving teams who should be rewarded with either hosting or participating in the event.

Here are some possible matchups that would be fantastic for the league that would involve Canadian teams.

1. Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks

This matchup would feature two rivals that have been through some awesome playoff battles in recent seasons.

Both teams have tremendous star power. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is a top-five NHL player and the Canucks twin duo of Henrik and Daniel Sedin have led the league in scoring the past two seasons.

This would be an amazing event and the game would be competitive and full of intensity.

2. Edmonton Oilers vs. Minnesota Wild

The Edmonton Oilers have two young stars the game should market, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall. The Oilers are a team that has a good young core that will develop into a playoff contender very soon.

The Minnesota Wild have a very passionate fanbase and are a team on the rise. They have an exciting team that scores goals and that will be a playoff contender for years to come.

The NHL would be wise to market young teams that have the potential to be good in the near future, and these two teams are good examples of that.

3. Los Angeles Kings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

The NHL could feature the Winter Classic to the Los Angeles audience in this matchup, and both teams have several stars that would make this game high-scoring and exciting to watch.

Maple Leafs fans are the most passionate of any NHL team, and featuring one of the league's biggest markets with a West coast team that is very talented would be a new and interesting matchup to watch in the Winter Classic.

Toronto will be playoff contenders for many more years, and having them take part in the league's premier regular season event would be awesome.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

Follow @NicholasGoss35