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Report: ‘major announcement’ is Caps getting outdoor game (Updated)

Alex Ovechkin

Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates a 3-1 won over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL Winter Classic outdoor hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

On Wednesday, we passed along word that the Washington Capitals would be making a “major announcement” Saturday at their fan convention.

What that “major announcement” would be, we weren’t sure -- but we speculated it could involve a future outdoor game, possibly the 2015 Winter Classic.

Well, Thursday, Sky Kerstein of 106.7 The FAN in D.C. tweeted that “multiple sources” are telling him that it is, indeed, an outdoor game the Caps will be announcing. And he’s hearing it’s “probably” the Winter Classic.

We noted it Wednesday, but we’ll note it again that the Caps were once reportedly the “favorite” to host the 2014 Winter Classic, before the 2013 version was pushed back a year due to the lockout.

One would think the Caps would host an outdoor game at FedEx Field (football) or Nationals Stadium (baseball), but there are other options in the area (e.g. nearby Baltimore has football and baseball stadiums).

Update:

It’s now multiple reports saying the Caps will host the 2015 Winter Classic, and there is apparently speculation the opponent will be the Philadelphia Flyers.

As for the location of the game, here’s part of the Washington’s Post report:

The location of the contest and the Capitals’ opponent for it is still unknown, but considering Nationals owner Mark Lerner is a minority partner in Leonsis’s Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Nationals Park in Southeast Washington may be a likely candidate. The Nationals lease the ballpark from the District, though, and would not have exclusive control over such a decision.