The Winter Classic it isn’t.
This afternoon, the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators renew their rivalry in a meaningful exhibition game in the Edmonton bubble. With limited time to get up to playoff speed, both teams appear to be taking this game seriously. A game with a rival plays into that narrative.
Ryan Johansen on the benefit of playing a rival (DAL) in the exhibition game tomorrow: "We're trying to get ready for playoff hockey, so in a way, it's a good thing that we're going to jump right into this competitive, intense game.