I still get email alerts for the "Winter Classic" some eight months after "The Winter Classic at the Big House," and when I looked for Wings news this evening (George here if you haven't figured it out by now), all sorts of "reports" lit up my inbox.

According to the Washington Post's Alex Prewitt and Mike Debonis, the most conspicuous absence involved in this year's Winter Classic between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks--the venue--should be revealed...By the end of the month?

An agreement has been reached for Nationals Park to host the 2015 Winter Classic on Jan. 1 between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, multiple individuals with knowledge of the situation said Saturday.

The deal between the NHL and the Nationals finalizes the location that has been widely assumed since it was announced that the Capitals would host the annual event on New Years’ Day, though negotiations between the two sides had dragged into the fall. Last month, sources indicated that there were still hurdles to clear.

No timetable for an official announcement was given, though one source speculated it would happen “before the end of the month.” The Capitals begin preseason training camp on Sept. 19, have their first preseason game on Sept. 21 versus Buffalo and open the regular season on Oct. 9 versus Montreal.

Prewitt continues, pointing out that the NHL's in charge of securing the venue, and let's just say that given that Daniel Cleary couldn't wear #11 without reimbursing the NHL for already-printed Alfredsson jerseys at this time a year ago, I'm guessing that the merchandise already being produced by Reebok in China, Thailand and Vietnam doesn't include any "at the [venue x]" labeling.