As a product of Chicago’s north suburbs, Blackhawks defenseman Jaycob Megna couldn’t be happier about the NHL Winter Classic coming to Wrigley Field next season.
Growing up in Northbrook, while some sports fans would binge on college football bowl games on or around New Year’s Day, Megna always made the Winter Classic appointment viewing.
Little did he know then he would play in an outdoor game and come close to playing in another.
His first experience came in college. Megna’s Nebraska-Omaha team played North Dakota on Feb. 9, 2013, at Omaha’s TD Ameritrade Park — home of the College World Series.
What was supposed to be a “cool” experience didn’t start off that way.
“The sun was a huge factor,” Megna said. “It was kind of a nightmare. The ice was melting.”
The game was delayed 2 1/2 hours so the sun could set and improve conditions.
“So we were sitting in our stuff for a long time,” he said.
Megna was a member of the Seattle Kraken when they played the Vegas Golden Knights in this year’s Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at the Seattle Mariners’ T-Mobile Park.
He didn’t play in the game but participated in the family skate and warmups.
“They made it very Seattle and very unique,” Megna said, “and I know for sure Chicago will do the same thing and make it their own thing and put their own spin on it.”
Megna was waived a day after the Classic and claimed by the Hawks the following day.
The pending free agent hopes he can stick around Chicago for another season to play in the Classic at Wrigley against the St. Louis Blues.
“I didn’t get a chance to go the first time it was there (in 2009),” he said, “but I remember the buzz and the energy around, not just the city but I lived up north in the suburbs, and it was a crazy time and everyone was super excited about it.
“Being part of the one this year in Seattle, you saw how cool it was. And to have it at a place like Wrigley Field, being from my hometown, that’s going to be really, really special. Obviously I have no idea if I’ll be in it or not, but it’s something that will be a really special event for the city and something guys will remember forever.”
