DETROIT – Within a half hour of the NHL officially announcing the Winter Classic outdoor game will feature the Detroit Red Wings as host to Original Six rival Toronto, Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke offered his own unofficial slogan for the event.
“It’s Hockeytown versus the center of the hockey universe,” Burke said.
The league is splitting the sixth annual Winter Classic into two venues, with the University of Michigan’s Big House in Ann Arbor serving as the site for the game on New Year’s Day and Detroit Tigers’ Comerica Park having a second rink. Downtown Detroit will host the alumni games, plus the Great Lakes Invitational college hockey tournament, an American Hockey League game between Detroit’s Grand Rapids (Mich.) affiliate and the Toronto Marlies and two Ontario Hockey League games featuring Michigan-based teams Plymouth and Saginaw.
Full story: 2013 Winter Classic awarded to Michigan