The Toronto Maple Leafs will begin centennial celebrations in the 2016-2017 season, leading up to they turn 100 years old on November 22nd, 2017.
Rumours of a new logo and uniforms have already leaked and now they may also be hosting the 2017 Winter Classic, the first one in this series held in Canada.
Howard Berger reports the game would be held at Toronto's BMO Field, the current home of Major League Soccer's Toronto FC and the future home of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts. The stadium underwent a recent expansion that upped capacity from the original 20,000 to 30,991. The 2016 Grey Cup will be held in the stadium in November of 2016, and an additional 10,000 seats will be temporarily added for the game. The structures could be left in place for the Winter Classic and surrounding events, giving almost 41,000 sponsors, NHL employees, media members, scalpers, and Maple Leafs/Rangers season ticket holders the chance to watch the game on the shores of Lake Ontario.
In 2009 then-General Manager Brian Burke said the Maple Leafs wanted everything for their centennial:
"We have told the NHL that we'd like to host an Entry Draft, an outdoor game and an All-Star Game. We think Toronto is a pretty important market, and we think we could do a good job with those things and we'd like to host them.
Other events using the temporary ice rink will most likely be held. An alumni game between the Rangers and Maple Leafs (who gets Lindros?!) is a given. If the NWHL/CWHL game works out in Boston, I could see a Toronto Furies / NY Riveters game be proposed.
Another addition could be an outdoor Toronto Marlies game, and as we saw when the Leafs were in Detroit for the 2014 Winter Classic, an OHL double header could be played as well, featuring nearby teams such as Oshawa Generals, Mississauga Steelheads, Hamilton Bulldogs, and I'd say Barrie Colts or Niagara IceDogs as well, but we know the London Knights would get a spot.
Perhaps even bring up the Solar Bears for an Orlando/Brampton Beast game.
The New York Rangers have host two Stadium Series games, and played in Philadelphia in the 2012 winter classic.
The biggest question would be if the Maple Leafs allowed the filming of Epix Road to the Winter Classic leading up to the event. it's been said the Leafs were not very cooperative with HBO in 2014, and as we saw it lead to one of the more boring 24/7's. Aside from this:
This would be an exciting event at a great facility, and give TFC fans something else to complain about.
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