Hawks players ready for Classic blast from past

Having grown up in highly populated Thunder Bay, Ontario, where by his count there were easily 100 outdoor ice rinks, including one at his school, Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp knows hockey weather.

Saturday wasn't it in Chicago.

As temperatures reached the 50s and rain pelted the area, Sharp and his teammates got in a fast-paced practice at The Edge in Bensenville.

At least a 20-degree drop by New Year's Day would be ideal for the Winter Classic between the Blackhawks and Detroit at Wrigley Field.

"I'm thinking 30 degrees would be perfect," Sharp said.

"I'm sure the NHL is doing a great job of putting a good facility together at Wrigley. I think as long as the ice holds up, it's going to be a great atmosphere. I watched some afternoon baseball games at Wrigley, and I know that sun causes problems sometimes.

"Who knows, you might see some guys with sunglasses on or some black eye paint under their eyes."

Center Jonathan Toews has his own hockey-style winter wonderland in mind. Like a pitcher, he might first look for a flag atop the center-field scoreboard Thursday when he arrives at Wrigley.

"Hopefully the wind doesn't play a huge factor in the game," Toews said. "I think that could make a difference. I'd just appreciate a nice, cold, cool, crisp winter day where you could see your own breath.

"I think that kind of plays into the whole idea that everyone's got built up in their head."

Toews, too, knows a little about playing outdoor hockey. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, the 20-year-old needed only to walk outside the back door of his family's house to experience the atmosphere of what is simply called "pond hockey."

Bryan Toews built his sons an outdoor rink in a field behind the family's home when Jonathan was about 4 or 5.

"That's where it all started," Toews said. "He built it bigger and bigger every year as our skills got better and we got bigger. He actually had a pretty good system where he'd hook the hose up with the nozzle and put it on top of a ladder and it would spray down a mist.

"It would start a coat so eventually you'd have ice and you could flood it without the water going into the ground. He worked pretty hard."

Other dads in the neighborhood took notice. Talk about an ice block.

"I think he started a trend because in that same field, as years went on, we had friends of ours - two kids that my brother played with - whose dad built them a rink when we were about 13 or 14," Toews said. "You could drive on the highway and in the big field you'd see one rink and then our rink and then further down there was another one.

"I guess every father got the idea that their kid could have a chance to play in the NHL if they built him a rink."

Patrick Kane grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., where winters can rival those of many Canadian cities and towns. But the Blackhawks young star is hardly a pond-hockey expert.

"Being from Buffalo, you would think I would play more, but I didn't play that much growing up," Kane said. "There was a downtown rink that me and my dad and maybe a couple buddies would go to. We'd fool around the rink down there - pass the puck, shoot the puck, things like that.

"To be honest with you, the first organized outdoor game for me will be January 1st."

Defenseman Brian Campbell played in last season's outdoor game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo as a member of the Sabres. His advice to his Blackhawks teammates?

"I think the biggest thing he said is just enjoy it," Kane said. "It's just an unbelievable experience, and it's just such a fun game to play in and be a part of. I think watching that game last year was pretty much made for TV.

"Talking to my parents and buddies, the one thing that they really noticed about the game was no one left. No matter how cold it was, everyone stayed until the final shootout there, and I'm sure it will be more of the same this year."