Blackhawk fans watch out! The Blackhawks have some new games ahead of them this year and new venues. Everyone has heard of the Winter Classic and for the fans, it is a highlight of the hockey season.

This year the Blackhawks have looked into more outdoor games. Yes, outdoor. The Blackhawks and NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, are very excited about the opportunity of having more outdoor games and to have a tour of the NFL/NBL stadiums. This is part of the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series. The series will include games at Dodger Stadium and Yankee Stadium.

The Winter Classic will be at Michigan Stadium and the Heritage Classic at BC Place in Vancouver. Back in 2009, the Blackhawks hosted a home game outdoors at Wrigley Field. Bettman had some doubts about what would happen with the league’s outdoor games, but is now very excited about the future. He thought that six was the perfect number and knows that it is all for the fans.

The fans love the outdoor games and eat up the atmosphere that is created in the change of venue. It is almost like getting football and baseball at the same time of a hockey game.

For the Blackhawks, it is a huge undertaking. Even though the fans see it as extra hockey, logistically it is a major step for the NHL. The Blackhawks will take on this new schedule how they would in the regular season, but this will also be a trial run to see if it is too many outdoors games or if it will actually live up to the hype it is expected to be at.

For the Blackhawk fans though, these games will only open up the opportunity for more fans to be a part of the action and it can be expected to be a major deal in which ever city the Blackhawks in. From the press conference at Soldier Field this past week, players Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook seemed very excited about the added opportunities of outdoor games. With another outdoor opportunity in Chicago, it will surely be a grand event.