MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- For the first time since the NHL started taking its regular season games out of doors on a regular basis, the league is taking its big-boy show to the State of Hockey. In some ways it's long overdue, although it's also a function of how long it's taken the Minnesota Wild to push their way into the national hockey discussion in the U.S. The game features the Wild against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET at TCF Bank Stadium.
What to watch for this weekend:
First, the older guys: As with almost all of these outdoor events, there will be a significant alumni component to the weekend's festivities -- which also coincides with Hockey Weekend Across America, USA Hockey's successful annual midwinter celebration of the sport.