Although the second annual NHL Winter Classic was dead in New York City, the league did find an alternate route several miles north of New York; it's the Windy City, Chicago. From one classic stadium rumored for months, Yankee Stadium, to the new home of the Winter Classic, the legendary Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, is the next home for what the NHL hopes for it to turn out to be an “annual” event. The announcement of this was made on May 27th with the Detroit Red Wings and the hometown Chicago Blackhawks set to drop the puck in January of 2009.

So what does Wrigley Field have to offer for hockey one asks? Why did the NHL decide to go here? Here are some possible answers.

Wrigley Field has some good things to offer, and some not so good things as well. Some good things begin with the brick and ivy in the outfield. It would make an interesting background if the ice is placed properly.

History is another aspect to look forward to if you plan on visiting Wrigley about six months from now. Built in 1914 on the north side of Chicago, Wrigley Field is now celebrating its 95th year in existence and is the second oldest park in baseball (right behind Fenway Park in Boston). Many greats have graced Wrigley including Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandburg and Greg Maddux just to name a few players. Future Hockey Hall of Famers that will be gracing the legendary stadium includes Red Wings’ Niklas Lidstrom and Dominik Hasek (if he comes back for another year) and possible legends include Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks.

And (if in use for the Winter Classic), the center field scoreboard is another great utility at Wrigley. Built in 1937, the original scoreboard in dead center field remains in use today. No home run ball has ever been hit there, but, two times it came close way back in 1948 (hit by Bill Nicholson) and 1959 (Roberto Clemente).

However, there are some bad aspects to Wrigley Field. Some of the seats are cramped and depending on where you sit, the view could be obstructed. However, most of the stadium has been renovated one way or another so there are improvements on that end.

The next question is why? Why would the NHL out of all places decide to put the Winter Classic at Wrigley? One answer could be the history behind it, but that’s not all. The league probably decided this would be the best way to go, considering a deal at Yankee Stadium did not go through for the Rangers to play at that historic park, one last time.

Another “why” question is, why the Red Wings and Blackhawks, creating a division rivalry for this game? The answer? is both are "original six" teams, which could draw some good ratings (assuming the game is on NBC), and they both have big markets.

This 2007-08 season was the first annual Winter Classic was played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, home of the Buffalo Bills. With a big crowd and snow, the game was fun to watch.

With Wrigley Field, and Ralph Wilson Stadium out of the way, here are a few other outdoor venues where the NHL could go in the future (along with a possible match-up).

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens

The biggest original six rivalry would be a good fit for this venue. Eventually the NHL will probably want to get Canadian teams involved. This could be a choice for the 2009-10 season (home of MLB's Boston Red Sox).

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey: New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

Two rivals, one big football stadium, how much better can you get? This could be another possible option for the 2009-10 season (home of the New York Giants, New York Jets of the NFL).

McMahon Stadium, Calgary, Alberta: Calgary Flames vs. Minnesota Wild

The Province of Alberta already set a record for an outdoor hockey game in Canada when they held the Heritage Classic in 2003 (Edmonton vs. Montreal). With temporary seating, this game could see 60,000-plus. This could be an option for 2010-11 season (home of the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders).

Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado: Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings

Another 70,000-plus seat stadium possibility could see these two fierce playoff rivals go at it in the Rocky Mountains, an option for the 2009-10, 2010-11 or 2011-12 seasons (home of the NFL’s Denver Broncos).