DO WE REALLY NEED MORE OUTDOORS?

     As I'm sitting here writing this it is a beautiful 78 degrees in Dunkirk NY, very warm nice weather for a mid-April day.  It's very similar to the weather in Los Angeles on a day like January 25th.  Could you imagine a hockey game in this environment  Well start imagining it because the NHL is planning on adding 5 more outdoor games in a addition to the Winter Classic on New Years Day.  Kings-Ducks at Dodger Stadium on January 25th, the New York Rangers on January 26th and 29th play both the New Jersey Devils then the New York Islanders at Yankee Stadium, on March 1st the Chicago Blackhawks play the Pittsburgh Penguins at Soldier field and finally a battle of two Canadian teams as the Canucks and Senators play March 3rd at BC Place.  I understand the whole point that the outdoor games will provide huge amounts of money for everyone involved and that they are locally driven.  But, why does there need to be FIVE more of them?  I think over time this will dilute a market already being beaten to death by the amount of College and Minor hockey games are being played outside.  I hope that is not the case, because the Winter Classic has been put together so well by the league and I don't know why they would try to mess with that system.  Also, I think these games should be put in markets struggling more to gain hockey interest to try and attract more fans to the games.  Put one in Columbus against the Flyers so their fans have something to be excited about, or Carolina, or Florida.  I'm not saying it's out of the question that they would put these teams in that position.  But, if the more outdoor games idea turns into a National Media ratings, it will turn into much more of an "NHL on NBC" type slate of games then one that could truly help hockey in the places that help is needed.