lockouts suck

Random Hockey Video of the Day, Holiday Edition: The Rangers’ Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

The NHL lockout has been in effect for more than three months now, and so, with no actual games to report on, we’re going to link to a different hockey video every day until a new CBA is reached. And because we like to keep things festive, from now until Christmas, said hockey videos will all be holiday-themed. Today: Brad Richards throws a party.

We’ve already written plenty about why HBO’s 24/7 is such great television, and this scene is a perfect example. It’s easy to forget sometimes that the athletes we cheer for and scream at and call into WFAN to rant about have lives outside of sports. And just like lots of people their age, every once in a while, that means going to a goofy theme party and having a few drinks. There’s nothing particularly outrageous about the Rangers’$2 2011 ugly Christmas sweater party chronicled in the clip below; that’s sort of the point. These are all well-paid, world-class athletes, but in this clip, they’re just a bunch of guys in their twenties and thirties. Everyone knows that hockey players like to have a drink or three on occasion, but rarely is that televised.

And so on Day 94 of the NHL lockout, here’s a clip from last year’s 24/7, captured by Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski. Highlights include Brian Boyle as Buddy the Elf, Dan Girardi’s pants, and Michael Del Zotto’s naughty reindeer sweater. Needless to say, our colleagues at the Cut would not approve.

Video: The Rangers’ Ugly Christmas Sweater Party