The 2011 NHL Winter Classic helped rob the league of its best player.
But enthusiasm for the annual outdoor game remains undiminished.
Monday's 2012 Winter Classic will be a media and sponsorship bonanza for the NHL, because it's guaranteed to look great on TV.
Outdoor hockey always looks great, even in the rain.
For proof, look no further than our NHL Winter Classic Photo Gallery, a survey of brilliant images dating back to the league's first-ever outdoor game in 2003.
See Jose Theodore in his iconic toque, winter twilight in Chicago, fireworks at Fenway, and much more.
As the Flyers and Rangers play the 2012 game on Monday afternoon, we'll update the gallery with photos from Heinz Field in Philadelphia.
Photo: Game on at Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings played the 2009 NHL Winter Classic. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images).
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