NHL Winter Classic: 5 Things We Hope to See During HBO's 24/7

As the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers prepare for this season’s Winter Classic, HBO’s 24/7 program has begun to film both teams. The show will debut this Wednesday on HBO and if it is anything like last year’s series, it will be must see for NHL fans everywhere. 

HBO will feature a new show each week leading up to the Classic and one show the week after. These shows are edited and produced quickly so the footage you see on Wednesday will feature the following week.

Last year 24/7 gave us a ketchup stained, F-bomb dropping Bruce Boudreau, Penguins pranks and managed to make Matt Cooke look likable. No matter what team you root for, this show gives you a feel for what life in the NHL is like.

What will this year have in store? 

According to the New York Daily News the cameras have already begun to affect how the players are acting. 

Any show that promises behind the scenes of teams that feature the likes of John Tortorella and Chris Pronger has to be great, right? 

Here are the five things we are hoping to see during this year’s 24/7.  What do you hope to see? 

Be sure to check back to Bleacher Report for our 24/7 weekly recaps.

1. Bad Calls Going Against the Rangers

Now, fans of the New York Rangers probably won’t like this one but for the rest of us this will be gold. Having some really bad calls go against the Blue-shirts will result in epic John Tortorella moments. 

He’s clearly the most entertaining coach in the league and seeing him lose it over calls on the ice has to be great. 

So Rangers fans, suck it up for a couple of weeks. We aren’t saying they have to lose, just have some bad calls go against them. 

We’ll also settle for Tortorella giving his opinion on guys like Joe Thornton, or anyone else who bad mouths his team.

2. Chris Pronger Being Chris Pronger

Despite the fact that he is out of action for the Flyers let’s hope that HBO still focuses on him. Last season, HBO was still able to give camera time to many of the Penguins injured players and there is no reason Pronger can’t be on screen.

It would be great, and ironic, if it turned out that Chris Pronger was a big teddy bear off the ice. 

How blown would your mind be if HBO’s cameras followed him while he read poetry to old folks, or petted abandoned puppy dogs or rubbed his wife’s feet after a long day? 

It's either that or hearing his theories on what to do with the game puck at the end of Stanley Cup Finals games.

3. Sean Avery's Closet

The Rangers answer to Pronger is Sean Avery. Much maligned by fans outside of New York, Avery is one of the more frustrating and intriguing players in the league. 

Already known as being a fashionista, now is a chance to see what threads hang in his closet. There could be a Sean Avery make-over session.

Maybe he could talk about how bad the new Nashville sweaters are.

People who back him say he’s just misunderstood. Well now is our chance to understand him more.

4. Artem Anisimov Goal Celebration Practice

Anisimov ruffled the feathers of the Tampa Bay Lightning last week by using his stick to simulate a rifle while celebrating a goal last week. This caused quite a stir on the ice as the Lightning felt it meant more than just a guy being happy he scored.

HBO cameras were there so we will get a good look at that incident, but here’s to hoping they go further. 

Maybe some scenes of Anisimov and his teammates practicing other intricate celebrations. If the stick-as-a-rifle routine was the one selected, what routines were cut?

5. Ilya Bryzgalov in a Park

Bryzgalov is one of the funnier players in the league and hopefully HBO will feature him as much as possible.

From sending updates about his love for the Lion King on twitter, to complaining about the lack of family parks in Winnipeg, Bryzgalov should be comedy gold. 

How about HBO features shots of him prepping for a game by strolling through some parks in Philadelphia? Perhaps he could feed the pigeons or read "War and Peace" on a secluded park bench.