A Future Outdoors

When the Oilers and Jets play at Investors Group Field in October it will be the 4th Heritage Classic in NHL history and will be in its fourth city. Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg will all have that to their name. 

What other cities in Canada would make a cool spot for an NHL game?

Ottawa

Toronto is getting their own version of an outdoor game to celebrate the 100th season of the NHL in the form of the Centennial Classic with the Maple Leafs playing the Red Wings at BMO Field on New Year’s Day 2017, but what about a game in the Nation’s Capital?

There have been rumors about it potentiallyhappening at TD Place, the home of the Ottawa Red Blacks and Ottawa Fury FC. I’ve even heard talk about a game on Parliament Hill which, in my opinion, would be VERY ambitious in terms of size of a rink and trying to figure out seating. Challenges aside, it would be hands down one of the most unique venues for any sporting event in the world.

Talk of an Ottawa outdoor game as been discussed for potentially happening this upcoming season and with the Maple Leafs already committed to another outdoor game this winter, I’d love to see the Montreal Canadiens have a chance to play the Senators in this one.

Regina

Imagine an NHL game in what will be one of the wildest stadiums in the CFL – the new Mosaic Stadium. It would obviously be a neutral site game and would be one of the smaller venues for an outdoor affair (as it will only hold 40,000 fans for special events when it opens in 2017) but if the atmosphere for Saskatchewan Roughriders is any indication it would be a pretty rowdy place no matter who plays in this game.

My suggestion for who’d play in this game would be the two teams closest to the province of Saskatchewan in the form of the Oilers and Jets and it would also be the first time that Jordan Eberle would truly be able to play in a home game at the NHL level. 

Maritimes

Cities such as Halifax, Charlottetown and St John’s all have rich hockey history at the professional and Jr levels and have each produced players who’ve skated in the NHL, it may be the most out there and this may not happen for another 10-15 years if it’s even possible at all but an NHL game near the water would be incredibly cool.

Of course the odds of getting 30,000+ fans at a game in one of the Atlantic provinces would be a stretch but if there was any way to assemble a temporary rink in downtown Halifax this would be an incredibly special event. The Toronto Maple Leafs have held and will be holding training camp this season in Halifax so there’s a fan base for them and with the Atlantic’s close proximity to the New England area why not have the Bruins involved in this game?

Getting the outdoor games beyond the normal locations I think can only help the game and inject a little more fun into the NHL’s brand.