While the Winter Classic will be played between the Flyers and Rangers on Monday, January 2nd at 1 p.m., that won’t be the only event taking place on Citizens Bank Park ice.
Prior to the game, the Flyers and Rangers will be continuing the tradition of having an alumni game. This year’s will be on Saturday, December 31st and 1 p.m., and there is already a push to get Flyers great – and Rangers alum – Eric Lindros to play in the game. Considering how important Lindros was to the Flyers’ resurgence to relevance in the 1990s, how integral he was in building the home the Flyers currently play in, and how he revolutionized the game, Lindros’ inclusion in the Alumni Game is something the Flyers should work hard to ensure.
After the Winter Classic, two former Flyers’ AHL affiliates will play on the Citizens Bank Park infield. On Friday, January 6th at 7 p.m., the Adirondack Phantoms will host the Hershey Bears. For those fans who are likely to be shut out from getting tickets to the main event, this could be a nice consolation prize. The Phantoms look to build off of last year’s second-half resurgence, behind a new influx of talent. Who knows what the team will look like in January, but this game should be easier to get into while still being exciting.
Yet to be announced is when the rink will be opened for public skates. But there will be more than just an NHL game in Citizens Bank to draw fans in.