2013 Winter Classic: It's High Time the Classic Went to Canada

Listen, I know that the whispers around this year's Classic revolved around next year's game being basically a done deal to go to Detroit. And yes, I know that Canada has its own version of the Winter Classic, the Heritage Classic, which was last played in February between the Montreal Canadians and Calgary Flames in Alberta.

But why have two separate events? Why not send the Winter Classic to Toronto next season?

Here's the thing: Separating the events ensures that Canadian teams get the shaft. The NHL has only had two Heritage Classics—the one last year and the inaugural one in Edmonton, all the way back in 2003—and they won't be having one this year. From ProHockey Talk:

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For next season, we're hoping Canadian fans got their fill of the Heritage Classic because according to a report from ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, the NHL will only be putting on the Winter Classic and not the Heritage Classic. The 2011 Heritage Classic was the first one held in eight years since the original took place in Edmonton in 2003 and featured the Oilers taking on the Canadiens. While the Heritage Classic this year was a huge financial success, the availability of locations in Canada appears to be a major problem. There’s also the issue of the league oversaturating the market for outdoor games by staging two of them per year.

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Will they come back in 2013? Maybe, maybe not. But why not just include Canadian teams in the Winter Classic? Why should these outdoor games be segregated by country? Does the NHL really think a game in Toronto wouldn't be financially viable?

At the very least, why not include Canadian teams in the Winter Classic even if the game is on US soil? C'mon, a Classic between the Bruins and Canadians would be one of the coolest things ever.

Detroit is a great choice for 2013 if the rumors are true. But the NHL needs to seriously rethink its odd stance on segregating their outdoor Classics between countries—they're only limiting the amount of compelling matchups they can offer fans.

Hit me up on the Twitter—all the cool kids are doing it.