Was This Supposed To Happen?

If you've been reading HBIC long enough, you know that the aura around outdoor games has worn off for this writer. While the NHL keeps milking that cash cow at every opportunity they get, there simply aren't enough positives to make me want to see more of them. It seems that there was almost one in a place I never even expected, though, as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman shot down a question today that seemed to indicate that the NHL may play an outdoor game at Lake Louise. That left me asking "who came up with this bad idea?"

According to reports, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly were in Calgary to visit the site of Scotia Place, Calgary's new arena, as they adjudicate potential locations for the World Cup of Hockey in 2028. Bettman and Daly met with the media before the Flames and Dallas Stars tangled tonight, and someone brought up a potential Lake Louise outdoor game.

"In terms of having a picturesque site that would be magnificent, but I don't know that as a reality it could happen," Bettman explained to the assembled media. "That's federal land around Lake Louise, and the regulations might make it next to impossible to deal with in terms of what we would have to do and how people who worry about those aspects of the environment wouldn't like it. Logistically it's a little hard because you don't have any infrastructure. Economically it's a little hard because you have no fans."

Circle this date on the calendar, folks, because I may actually applaud Gary Bettman for backing away from an outdoor game where the NHL could say it was the first to do something. Lake Louise does not need an NHL game whatsoever in that picturesque land. People go there to escape the hustle and bustle of city life while getting a chance to participate in some winter activites where the backdrop to those activities is unparalleled. The NHL is not needed there.

As we know, the NHL rarely does anything where they won't make a bundle of cash, and Bettman alluded to that fact by dropping in the "economically" portion of his statement. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has 539 guest rooms and suites, the Lake Louise Inn has 247 rooms and suites, and there are rental properties available. Even if one estimated four people to a room, that's 3200 fans that would be able to stay within walking distance of the NHL's outdoor rink. That doesn't include the number of rooms needed for players and staff, though, so let's drop the number to 3000 fans conservatively.

Newsflash: the NHL won't haul its mobile rink out to Lake Louise for 3000 people regardless of how many old-time hockey vibes there may be because they won't make bags of money as they do in stadiums.

The Lake Tahoe opportunity arose because the NHL was already playing in front of empty seats thanks to the pandemic, so they weren't required to rent seating or find ample parking for thousands of people. We saw some of the logistical challenges that the NHL faced that day as the ice melted around the boards during the afternoon, presenting obvious safety risks for the players. As a result, there was an eight-hour delay and subsequent scheduling changes before the Vegas Golden Knights-Colorado Avalanche game.

There are places that don't need the NHL, and Lake Louise is one of them. There may be people who want to see some old-time pond hockey, but Gary Bettman is right: there's zero infrastructure to play a game there. And while we have different reasons, this might be the first time that Gary Bettman and I totally aligned on a subject.

With hell freezing over thanks to today's developments, perhaps Bettman will consider Hades as an outdoor game location?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!