WINNIPEG — Outdoor hockey in Winnipeg, mercifully in October rather than December or January.
“I’m thankful for that,” said Montreal Canadiens defenceman Kaiden Guhle, who recalls days from his youth that proved too cold for lake hockey behind his house in Edmonton.
Sunday’s Heritage Classic against the Winnipeg Jets (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT) will be Guhle’s first NHL open-air experience, and despite the uniqueness of playing under the bright lights, and in front of more than 30,000 fans expected at Princess Auto Stadium, it’ll be a callback to when he first fell in love with the game, to when it was about nothing more than fun with friends.
Only this time, no extra layers will be required, with the forecast calling for clear skies and a temperature of 3 C at puck drop.
“That’s perfect,” said Oliver Kapanen, who played outdoor hockey every day after school in Timra, Finland, but has also never experienced anything like what he’ll live through on Sunday.
Chris Kreider already has done it several times, so you can excuse him for not being as enthusiastic about it.
“It’s only enjoyable if you win,” said the 35-year-old, who has a 3-0 record in outdoor NHL games but was on the wrong side of one in college, in his hometown, at Fenway Park, where he was first in awe of stepping foot in the Boston Red Sox room and then ultimately miserable sitting there after a loss.
“It’s a dog and pony show, and if you lose it’s even more of a letdown,” Kreider added. “Two points, important to win a hockey game.”
Phil Danault would love nothing more than for his Canadiens to beat the Jets after he lost with them to the Ottawa Senators in the NHL 100 Classic in 2017 at TD Place.
“I lost another 6-1 to Minnesota when I was in my second season with Chicago, too,” said Danault, “so I’m due.”
It would be particularly meaningful for Danault to win this one in front of his wife, son and in-laws, and he said he can’t wait to play for that very reason.
“It’s still such a unique thing to do,” the Victoriaville, Que., native said. “When you’re a kid, you play outdoors for fun, but you never think of having this kind of experience outside. It’s always memorable. You want to keep everything — from the jersey you play in to the pants and gloves — and it’s always something you’ll remember.
“I was outside every day. My dad built a rink at my house. Not a rink, but a little ice surface. Started there, and I was all over the rinks in Quebec. I was always outside. I always chose to play outside at night rather than watch Canadiens games. That’s where you build that love, and a game like this really brings it back even if you never fully lost it at some point.”
Mike Matheson, who grew up in area of Montreal where there’s an abundance of outdoor rinks, has always cherished the game, and he’s relishing this opportunity to play it on this stage for the very first time.
Just thinking about it brought memories of outdoor hockey rushing back to the 32-year-old.
When asked about his rink of choice as a kid, Matheson, a native of Pointe-Claire, Que., said, “Whichever one had the best ice.”
“After school, you’d drive around home and see which ones were good,” Matheson continued. “We had Clearpoint right down the street from us, we had my backyard sometimes. We had a group of family (and) friends around the neighbourhood, and we’d go on one until it was too snowy, and then we’d all jump in our friend’s pickup truck and he’d drive us to the next in full equipment. We’d play on that one until it got too snowy and go on to the next. We went all over the place.
“I think it’s when I fell in love with the process, too. There’s a lot of kids that I grew up with that would for sure get out on the ice and play games, but if nobody else was going, they weren’t going. I’d go on our backyard rink and setup drills for myself and work on things, and I loved that just as much as I did playing games, so I think that’s where I kind of realized I’ve got a good work ethic and if I really commit to that I think I could get somewhere.”
Now Matheson is here, with his parents, his hockey-playing wife, Emily, who won Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and his three children, Hudson, Mila and Miles.
“I feel like I see it through their eyes, so that’s the part that I’m most excited about,” said Matheson. “After our practice, having them come out, my son being on the ice, my daughter is just starting to stand and walk on her skates on the ice, and so that’s all just so exciting. Sharing that moment with them and my parents, those are the memories. I really want to win the game for sure, but those are the things that will stick with me.”
That’s the experience Josh Anderson is soaking in, along with his wife, daughter and 12 other members of his family in attendance.
They’re among close to 150 people the Canadiens flew to Winnipeg and accommodated for what they expect will be one of the most memorable experiences imaginable.
Coach Martin St. Louis said his players should soak that up in its entirety before giving it their all to win the game.
“My favourite people are the people that are 100-percenters,” he started. “In anything you do in life, you’re only going to be the best if you give it 100 per cent. You want to be a good dad? It’s not about being 100 per cent present, but when you’re present you have to be 100 per cent there. So for me, they’re with their family, be 100 per cent there. They’re here, they’re taking the time — enjoy that. We’re going to play tomorrow, find the pockets that you can enjoy the family and be with them. This is great. These people are a big part of their lives, they’re supportive. Being a wife, a dad, a mom, whatever it is, a kid from a professional athlete, it comes at a price.
“But when the game starts, you’ve got to be 100 per cent there… You want to find any success in life, be a 100-percenter.”
The conditions are shaping up optimally to squeeze everything possible out of the experience.
“Ideal weather,” said Guhle. “Can’t wait.”