"There are no issues at all," NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said in a phone interview Thursday. "There is some weather coming in, a little snow on Friday, probably some snow on Sunday, but nothing at all that we're worried about. If anything, it'll make it a little bit like a winter wonderland and snow during the game I think is so cool.
"So we have no worries. Temperatures are going to be in the 20s, so that's perfect. There's nothing that we're planning, nothing that we are about to do that's going to be changed in any manner due to the weather."
Mayer said his group in the NHL events department is working quickly to ensure all on-field graphics surrounding the rink were down before the snow arrives Friday.
"Once the snow hits, obviously if it sticks, which it's going to tomorrow, it sticks to the graphics," Mayer said. "We just want to have everything down, because it's easier to take the snow off the graphic than to take the snow off the ground and put a graphic on top of that. We're trying to get everything down today and I think we're on schedule to do it. I happen to be looking on a monitor that shows me the field and we're in great shape. Everything is on target. It's been really smooth here."
The ice crew was able to install the lines and logos and build up ice on the rink Wednesday. The plan was to continue Thursday and complete the ice install.
"Currently it's sunny so we have our insulated tarps down," said Mike Craig, NHL senior manager of facilities operations. "We're working on putting in our shielding, our dasher ads, and once the sun goes down we'll remove those tarps and we'll build up some more ice, get everything trimmed out and ready to go."
Craig said the ice crew has a test skate planned for Friday to make sure the ice is ready Saturday, which is practice day for the Sabres and Maple Leafs.
"Everything has gone fairly well and on schedule and we're really looking forward to the weekend," Craig said.
Hamilton is buzzing about the outdoor game, Mayer said.
"You walk into the restaurant and the waitress knows you're here for the big game on Sunday and they can't wait," he said. "You go into Tim Hortons and you look around and everywhere you see the signage that shows the game is being played and everybody in there is wearing their jerseys, whether they're Leafs fans or Sabres fans, which makes this a really unique game because we're right smack dab in the middle."
Mayer said he thinks he's seen more Toronto fans, but feels it's pretty evenly split, which should be represented in the stands on Sunday.
The game is sold out with Mayer saying the stadium will seat approximately 25,000.
"You want to come to town and put on a big show and take over the stadium," he said, "but it's so cool when you realize the impact that your arrival has on the local community and how they're as anxious as anybody because the big show has come to town.
"That's what it's all about for us. We want to bring the game to as many people as possible. That's why we play the game in these big stadiums. And when you can affect the entire community because you brought the game here, that's a real win for the NHL."
