Winter Classic 2015: Blackhawks vs. Capitals Preview and More for New Year's Day

The 2015 NHL Winter Classic will be a star-studded affair, as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews lead the Chicago Blackhawks into the outdoor clash with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and the Washington Capitals at Nationals Park.

As a whole, the hype surrounding this year's game is seemingly down slightly. That's perhaps due to the high number of outdoor games in recent seasons lessening the overall appeal. But the league is hoping the star power causes viewers to flock back to the annual showcase once the puck drops.

The atmosphere makes it one of the most interesting sporting events on the calendar. It just so happens the game is on the first day of the year. Let's check out all of the important information for the 2015 edition of the event along with a game preview.

Viewing Info

Where: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

When: Thursday, Jan. 1, at 1 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Game Preview

The NHL spends the first couple months of the season trying to contend with the NBA, college football and the NFL. With the football seasons winding down, the Winter Classic always represents a chance for the league to showcase itself on a major stage.

Alas, as previously mentioned, the question is how much juice the brand has left. The addition of the Stadium Series last season took the unique feel away from what was usually the one day a year fans could watch a game outside in the elements.

David Rogers of Puck Drunk Love thinks the short-term gain may ultimately hurt the Winter Classic as a whole: "The NHL was correct—the Stadium Series was a cash cow. However, it damaged the Winter Classic brand. Suddenly the game wasn’t as special as fans had several opportunities to attend or watch an outdoor game."

It's hard to disagree, especially when you consider the lack of buzz around this year's game on a national level. The Winter Classic was a special yearly event, and there's definitely something to be said for having too much of a good thing.

Viewership numbers will tell the final story about whether the event did take a hit as a result. The NHL obviously hopes that if there's a drop-off, it's only a minor one.

One other factor to watch aside from the game is the weather. The current forecast from the Weather Channel projects temperatures around 40 degrees and sunny skies. The latter may be the biggest issue for those in charge of keeping the ring playable.

Jason Samenow of The Washington Post passed along previous comments from the NHL's senior director of facilities operations, Dan Craig, about the potential issues: "If we have bright sunshine we have a problem. The sun will melt down over a quarter of an inch and then next thing you know all you have is water overtop your lines that you worked all night to install."

It's always a delicate balancing act, and it sounds like the crew could get tested this time around.

As for the game itself, it should be an entertaining encounter as long as the conditions permit. The Blackhawks and Capitals are two of the most offensively gifted teams in the league in terms of top-end talent on the roster.

It could end up being a pretty important game for Washington in the bigger picture, too. It finds itself on the playoff fringe (Chicago is in a comfortable position) at the halfway mark, and two points could end up being the difference when the smoke clears at season's end.

Both teams are making their second appearance in the Winter Classic. The Blackhawks recorded a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field in 2009, while the Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field in 2011.

If the weather cooperates, fans at Nationals Park will likely see a high-scoring clash. Washington is at its best when playing an uptempo style, and though Chicago is stronger defensively, it has the talent to play a more wide-open game, as well.

The game should be fun. That said, the biggest concern is whether the Winter Classic has any staying power left after last year's barrage of outdoor games. The Blackhawks and Capitals have the stars, but even that might not be enough.