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***39alaska39*** · 07-16-2018, 09:02 PM

- Denver, Colorado
Today in Denver, the local and national media gathered for a press conference that was arranged by the league office. SMJHL Commissioner Storm spoke to the assembled media to explain why they had been gathered:

"The SMJHL, in conjunction with the Colorado Raptors, is proud to announce the first SMJHL Winter Classic to be held at Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. This event will be a celebration of the league, as well as its successes over the course of its first 42 seasons.

The Raptors, in their second season since changing from the Mammoths, were approached about the opportunity to host this new event midway through the offseason, and the organization has shown a excitement and commitment to making this event a success. The festivities around the game will include a Fan Festival, meet and greet with current and former players from the Raptors, and much much more.

We would like this event to be a showcase of what makes our league and our great game so successful. We haven't finalized a decision as to who will play the Raptors in this historic game, we have reached out to a few teams in order to gauge their interest. We believe that we will be able to give you an answer as to other team sooner rather than later.

In addition to the festivities outlined earlier, we are in discussions with our uniform sponsors to have special alternate uniforms made for this event in further the unique nature of what we are putting on here.

We would like to thank the entire Colorado Raptors organization from the GM @InciteHysteria to all the players for their support in this endeavor as we look forward to putting together an unforgettable event."

The official logo of the Season 42 Winter Classic

While the Raptors haven't had the most successful start to the SMJHL season, there is an expectation that the team, lead by team captain Troy McClure III (@Troy_McClure03 ), Rookie of the Year candidate Nate Forsberg (@NamelessNate ), and veteran defensemen Maui (@UncleLeosKomrade ) and Sachimo Zoidberg Jr. (@Jala ), will improve and be a serious threat by the end of the season and going forward. The young Raptors are 0-2 to start the season.

While an opponent for the Raptors in this event has not yet been announced, it is speculated that Halifax Raiders have been approached to join this historic event. If Halifax declines, regional rivals Anchorage and St. Louis are other possibilities. Stay tuned for more information regarding media coverage and more about the Winter Classic.

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