"I think for players, probably other than (Stanley Cup) Playoffs, this is the one date they probably get most excited about," the former Blackhawks forward said. "Now to start the new year you get to play at Notre Dame Stadium. Guys are football fans too, so you know you're playing in one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world. It's a big stage and guys kind of want to show off on these ones."
The truck made a quick stop in Chicago before heading to South Bend, where the League will begin preparations at Notre Dame Stadium on Monday.
Burish was with the Blackhawks from 2006-10 and played in the 2009 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic when Chicago lost 6-4 to the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field. It was 32 degrees with winds at 18 mph that day, but Burish said players didn't notice.
"I remember guys taking stuff off between periods because they were too jacked up," said Burish, now a television analyst for Blackhawks games on NBC Sports Chicago. "The nastier, the colder it is, it doesn't matter. You don't even think about it as a player."
The Blackhawks (10-18-6) are seventh in the Central Division, 16 points behind the third-place Colroado Avalanche, entering their game against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; WGN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV). It's been a tough season for the Blackhawks, but Burish said a Winter Classic game always boosts morale.
"Players will say they're going to treat this like a normal game? They're lying to you," he said. "It's not a normal game. This is a bigger deal and they're more excited. Everyone wants to score the first goal, everyone wants to score the game winner, because they know these highlights will be shown forever.
"You can feel the buzz in the city; people start talking about it early," Burish said. "We're two weeks away now, and you can already feel the excitement leading up to it. You don't get to see this stuff every day, and guys get pumped up for this."
The Blackhawks will be playing in their fourth Winter Classic are are hoping for their first victory. In addition to the loss to the Red Wings in 2009, they lost 3-2 to the Washington Capitals in the 2015 Winter Classic at Nationals Park on Jan. 1, 2015, and lost 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues in the 2017 Winter Classic at Busch Stadium on Jan. 2, 2017.
It's the third Winter Classic for the Bruins, who won 2-1 in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park and lost 5-1 against the Montreal Canadiens at the 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium.
This Blackhawks-Bruins game is a two-hour drive from Chicago, and the Notre Dame ties run deep in the city.
"Before I moved to Chicago I didn't realize how many Notre Dame people are here," Burish said. "This is a Notre Dame town too, just like it's a Bears and a Blackhawks town. If you want to get to a game, this is one to get to because you may never see this again. To me, it's the highlight of the year. I wish I could play."
