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Toronto Maple Leafs: 2017 All-Star Game and Outdoor Game Coming For Centennial Year?

By David Morassutti

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Toronto Maple Leafs: 2017 All-Star Game and Outdoor Game Coming for Centennial Year?

Jan 1, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs players celebrate on the ice after the 2014 Winter Classic hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

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2017 will mark the Toronto Maple Leafs 100th year in the NHL. The rich history of the Leafs is something that the NHL and Leafs Nation has coveted for years and now plans for the centennial celebration are starting to come to light.

When the Montreal Canadiens celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2009 they hosted the NHL All-Star Game and the NHL draft. Ken Campbell from the Hockey News is reporting that the Leafs could receive the same type of treatment in 2017.

Jan 1, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Luke Glendening (41) and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul (19) battle for the puck during the 2014 Winter Classic hockey game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Now it is not certain whether the game will be the Winter Classic, a Heritage Classic or a Stadium Series Game. My guess would be the Winter Classic because it would be one of the biggest outdoor games to date given the location and teams involved. Plus the rumoured outdoor game in Winnipeg taking place next season would most likely be the Heritage Classic.

Campbell also talked about a possible venue for the game which is something that the league is probably still trying to decide on.

It is interesting to hear about the Rogers Centre because the whole reason why the Leafs have not hosted an outdoor game was because an outdoor game would not be feasible in that stadium. The reason is because during the winter time the roof at the Rogers Centre is sealed during the winter and only opens during the warmer months. This article from the Toronto Star looked into the the reason why the roof needs to be closed for a specific amount of time.

"Since the dome is sealed through the winter, testing of the roof can’t begin until all the snow and ice have melted. The mechanical parts that allow the roof to open and close contract in the cold, so consecutive warm-weather days of roughly 10C or higher are required before testing can begin. “At around 10 degrees, if we were to open the roof, and the temperature then dropped, we risk not being able to close it,” Stephen Brooks, the Jays’ senior vice-president of business operations, told the Star back in 2012."

Jan 1, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; A general view from the roof of Michigan Stadium during the 2014 Winter Classic hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mandatory Credit: Noah Graham/NHLI/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

So the chances of Rogers allowing the Leafs to host the Winter Classic in Rogers Centre will be complicated and take time to sort out which is why the NHL will not make a formal announcement about any plans. Plus with the recent renovations planned for BMO field, if MLSE can get the game played there then the NHL will probably consider that as well. Given the atmosphere of the Winter classic between the Detroit Red Wings and the Leafs it is no surprise that the Leafs get another chance to play in the Winter Classic. However, the game played in Michigan will always be special.

2017 will be a special year for the Leafs and Toronto which is something that the league commissioner Gary Bettman understand for many reasons.

With the World Cup of Hockey coming to Toronto in 2016, then the 2017 World Junior Championship, plus the 100th anniversary of the Leafs, it will be an exciting time for the city and hockey fans who deserve it.

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