Major League Baseball is set to hold a big event on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway as the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds meet. It's not the first time the track has used its infield for a major event, bringing the largest crowd for an NCAA football game together when Tennessee and Virginia Tech played in 2016. Could the NHL be next to host an event?
It has been reported that NHL officials will attend Saturday's baseball game. This might signal the prospects of the league joining the fun and hosting a game at the track. If that's the case, the Carolina Hurricanes should be one of the teams getting the call to play. After all, there's no better organization to feature at an event such as this.
Nothing says NASCAR more than North Carolina
It feels borderline criminal to play a hockey game on the infield of a NASCAR track and not have the team from North Carolina appearing. Charlotte is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The Coca-Cola 600 is a Memorial Day tradition, run at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. You also can't forget legends like Dale Earnhardt, Lee Petty, and Richard Petty, all of whom were born in the Tar Heel State.
Obviously, there are stereotypes surrounding the behaviors of certain individuals who are passionate about the sport of auto racing. This would almost guarantee the perfect environment for a game of this magnitude. The Caniacs tailgate before every home game. This game could turn into one of the greatest parties the NHL has ever seen.
The Hurricanes and the Predators have history, if that's who hosts
Proximity can breed disdain. It certainly did when the Canes and the Preds played eight times during the regular season during the realigned 2021 campaign. It only got worse when they met again in the first round of the playoffs, a six-game victory for the good guys with four straight contests reaching overtime. It was one of the best series that the organization has ever played.
You could even take it a step further by mentioning the Predators defeated the Hurricanes on October 13, 1998, to earn the franchise's first victory. It might not have much bearing on things now, but it's a fun fact. This might not be the most appetizing matchup for the casual fans, especially for a cross-conference game, but it's better than seeing Boston or Chicago outdoors for the millionth time.
I'm not saying that the Predators have to host the game, though it would be weird to play a game in Tennessee and not have the team from that state competing in it. They've only played outdoors twice, playing in the 2020 Winter Classic and hosting the Stadium Series in 2022, while the Canes have their 2023 Stadium Series appearance.
While there's inherent bias in this statement, including the Hurricanes should be a no-brainer for the NHL. The Canes could help draw a crowd to a game like this that most other teams couldn't. It would be a fresh matchup between two Southern teams from states with good NASCAR ties. The NHL needs to recognize that if a game at Bristol Motor Speedway turns into a legitimate possibility.