10 Best Moments from the Past NHL Winter Classics

There have been some incredible moments in the brief history of the Winter Classic. Unfortunately, the most recent moment that stands out to fans is the hit that led to Sidney Crosby missing almost a full year of hockey, but there have been some great moments that shouldn't be overshadowed.

What follows are the ten best moments from Winter Classic games past. Most are videos, but one we had to go with a still photo because of the nsfw content.

10. Sather Talks Smack

When Glen Sather took the mic at the press conference to announce the 2012 Winter Classic, they tried as hard as they could for the ceremony to stay civil between the Rangers and Flyers. But if it had, it wouldn't have served the legacy of their great rivalry well. So Sather made sure to let the fans of Philly know that the Rangers were going to win the game on Jan. 2, 2012.

9. Orr and Clarke Meet in Boston... Again

The honorary captains for the 2010 Winter Classic were Bobby Clarke for the Philadelphia Flyers and Bobby Orr for (or should I say four) the Boston Bruins. Any time Orr makes an appearance in Boston is great theater, but when he and Clarke were introduced it was fantastic at Fenway.

8. Sturm Ends a Classic in OT

With just over three minutes left in overtime, the Bruins desperately tried to get a rush together. When Marco Sturm found the back of the net to finish the game, two tired teams shook hands in appreciation of the fantastic game they had just completed.

7. Bruce F---in Boudreau's Rant on HBO's 24/7

During one episode of HBO's 24/7 series before the 2011 Winter Classic, then-Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau took the rights of free speech to the next level.

In one "pep talk" between periods of a game, Boudreau dropped 15 "F-Bombs." Apparently the f---in' Caps didn't f---in' want it enough for his liking.

6. The First Classic Fight

It was only a matter of time before the gloves dropped during a Winter Classic, and it finally happened when the Bruins and Flyers met in 2010.

Not surprisingly, Shawn Thornton and Dan Carcillo were the "gentlemen" that stepped up to provide the fans at Fenway Park with a good fight.

5. Seabrook Nails Cleary

The backstory on this is that, just a few days before the 2009 Winter Classic, Patrick Kane was injured on a hard hit against the Red Wings. So, in an effort to stick up for his teammate a few days later, Brent Seabrook provided arguably the biggest hit in the history of the Classic, sending Dan Cleary into the Hawks' bench.

4. Sidney Crosby Wins It in 2008

In the first Winter Classic, with snow falling, the fans were outstanding and the play was exceptional. When the money was on the table, Sidney Crosby beat Ryan Miller for the win. His celebration wasn't quite to the same level as winning a gold medal a couple years later, but still pretty big for a regular season win.

3. Pavel Datsyuk Scores in 2009

There might only be a handful of players on the planet that can do what Datsyuk can with a puck on his stick. This is probably the prettiest goal scored in a Winter Classic game, and Cristobal Huet probably still has a bruise from trying to make the save.

2. USA Olympic Roster Introduced

After the 2010 Winter Classic in Boston, the United States announced their roster for the Vancouver Olympics. Using local hockey players in sweaters to reveal the names, it was a great moment for American hockey.

But to have Tim Thomas in the house and able to come out with his own USA sweater on was the winner from this moment. A special moment during a tough season in his career, Thomas made this fantastic.

1. The 2009 National Anthem

The Star Spangled Banner is always special in Chicago, but when the organ at Wrigley Field cranked it up in 2009, the place vibrated like it hadn't in years. This game is viewed by some as the Blackhawks "officially" re-surfacing on the NHL scene after years of mediocrity, and the anthem made it known that hockey fans were back in Chicago.