Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork. Alfred Blue Jersey .com) - In his classic Velvet Underground song Who Loves The Sun, the late, great Lou Reed told us all the reasons why not everyone cares for that glowing orb in the sky. Im not sure if Dan Craig has ever heard that song, but he could relate with the sentiment. Craig may have the most important job when it comes time for the leagues annual Winter Classic. As the NHLs senior director of facilities operations, it is Craigs job to make sure the ice holds up outside among the elements and one of his biggest enemies in this fight is plain old sunshine. This year, of course, the New Years Day tradition is being held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The air temperature for the outdoor battle between the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals shouldnt be a problem for Craig and his team, as the thermometer isnt expected to climb above the mid-40s. The problem instead could be too much sun as forecasts are calling for little cloud cover Thursday afternoon when the Blackhawks and Caps are scheduled to do battle in the nations capital. Sunny days can cause the ice surface to melt ahead of the contest, something Craig and his crew will be diligent of as we creep closer to game time. However, the sunshine also could present an issue during the contest, as players may have to battle the glare reflecting off the surface. It was the latter problem which caused one of the NHLs many outdoor games last season -- a late January clash between the Devils and Rangers at Yankee Stadium -- to be delayed for over an hour. We could see a similar delay on Thursday but only because Craig puts a great deal of pressure on himself to ensure the players get to partake in something that looks and feels a lot like a normal NHL game. Its a game, and thats one of the things I never lose sight of, and within hockey operations, within our world, we never lose sight of it, Craig recently told NHL.com. This is a regular-season game and I want the guys to be able to play this as any regular-season game. As the novelty of the Winter Classic and other outdoor games continue to wear off, one of the most interesting aspects of this NHL phenomenon is the amount of preparation that goes into making these events work. Thanks to Craig and his handpicked ice crew, the league has a group of guys who are completely dedicated to getting the most out of every possible scenario Mother Nature throws their way. When there was heavy rain falling in D.C. on Christmas Eve, Craig and a few members of his team stayed in the area to monitor the situation. As the day of the event draws nearer, the crew is ready to spring into action at a moments notice to combat whatever issues happen to arise. I have guys on this crew now that have been here for six or seven years, and theyre very much aware that they can get a text message at 6 oclock in the morning that says, Get on the bus and get over here, Craig said. The key word for what Craig does is vigilance. Pulling off an outdoor hockey game is a battle right up until the moment the puck drops. Come Wednesday or Thursday, new obstacles could turn up and wreak havoc on Craigs plans because every day has the possibility to present an unexpected challenge. We wake up in the morning and whatever Mother Nature throws at us, thats what were prepared to deal with, Craig said. You dont know if you have things left to do. The checklist is prepared for tomorrow as a lead up to practice day, but you only have a couple rehearsals because come Thursday there is no more rehearsing. So, when youre watching the Winter Classic and youre wondering why the ice looks sloppy or why theres so many delays, just remember that isnt for a lack of trying on the NHLs part. In Craig, the league has found someone who is as dedicated to making the outdoor game feasible as you could imagine anyone being. And his team deserves a large share of the credit for what has become a special and surprisingly successful tradition for the NHL in the 21st century. For the sake of all the people who work so hard to make the Winter Classic work, lets hope the clouds cover up that pesky sun come New Years Day. Ryan Griffin Jersey . - Jerome Verrier scored the winner 8:24 into overtime and Louis-Phillip Guindon stopped 46 shots as the Drummondville Voltigeurs edged the host Val-dOr Foreurs 4-3 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Martinas Rankin Jersey .com) - Brad Stuart has yet to play a regular-season game for the Colorado Avalanche, but that didnt deter the club from signing the veteran defenseman to a two-year contract extension on Monday. http://www.officialhoustontexansfootball.com/authentic-whitney-mercilus-jersey-womens . He chirped to the caddie of Brandt Snedeker about their money game, a Mickelson tradition at the majors. Lefty was in good spirits Monday at the British Open, except for having to return the claret jug.Pat Quinn, a veteran of over 600 games as an NHL player and 1,400 games as an NHL head coach, has passed away at the age of 71. One of just four men to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year with two different teams, Quinn was best remembered as a long-time coach of both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, as well leading Canada to its first gold medal in 50 years at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Quinns NHL career began in 1968-69 with the Maple Leafs, who called him up from the Central Hockey League a 25-year-old. It did not take Quinn long to make a name for himself as a player, rendering Bobby Orr unconscious with an infamous open ice hit during the 1969 playoffs. Quinn left the Leafs in 1970 to finish his career with expansion franchises, first as a member of the Canucks from 1970 to 1972 followed by the Atlanta Flames from 1972 to 1977. His coaching career, which would leave his greatest legacy on the game, began almost immediately. He joined the Philadelphia Flyers in 1977-78 and by the end of the next season he succeeded Hall-of-Famer Fred Shero as head coach. He guided the Flyers to the 1980 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the New York Islanders. Quinn won his first Jack Adams Award after guiding the Flyers to a 48-12-20 record and first in the Patrick Division. The Flyers fired Quinn after the 1981-82 season and he returned to the NHL as coach of the Los Angeles Kings from 1984 to 1987. Quinn then joined the Canucks as president and general manager, helping rebuild them from a fifth-place club in the Smythe Division to a team that came within one win of a Stanley Cup in 1994. The additions of Trevor Linden and Pavel Bure through the draft, as well as franchise goaltender and Kirk McLean all came under Quinns watch. His next job was another rebuilding effort - this time with the Maple Leafs. He took over as head coach in 1998-99 and assumed the GM duties the following season after leading the team to the Eastern Conference Final and capturing his secoond Jack Adams Award. Shane Lechler Jersey. Over six seasons with the Leafs, he led the club to three 100-point seasons and two Eastern Conference Finals, including the clubs only regular season division title in the post-expansion era. His success with the Leafs earned him the role as head coach of the Canadian Olympic mens hockey team for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Under Quinn, the team overcame a 1-1-1 round robin record – while outscored 10-8 - and went on to win the gold medal with a 5-2 victory over the host Americans. Quinn was fired by the Leafs in 2006 after the team failed to make the post-season for the first time since 1997-98 and turned his attention to junior hockey. As part-owner of the Vancouver Giants, he won the 2007 Memorial Cup - his second time hoisting the trophy after winning it as a player with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1963. Hockey Canada hired Quinn to handle international duties and he did so with great success. He coached Canada to gold at the 2008 Under-18 World Championship with a team that featured future NHL stars Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Matt Duchene. He took the next step with the same core group, guiding Canada to 2009 World Junior gold with the help of talents like John Tavares, P.K. Subban, Patrice Bergeron and Jamie Benn. Quinn returned to the NHL for one more season in 2009-10 with the Edmonton Oilers. In addition to his achievements on the ice and behind the bench, he was also a key builder with the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board in 2013. We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pat Quinn”, Jim Gregory, Vice-Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame said in a statement. Pat is one of hockeys most respected individuals whose lifetime involvement as a player, coach and executive has made an indelible mark on the game, and our thoughts and prayers are with Sandra and all of Pats family and friends at this extremely difficult time. Quinn was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2012. 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