Heritage Classic outdoor game coming to new Canadian market?

This would be awesome!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Heritage Classic outdoor game coming to new Canadian market?
Zuma Press

Ever since the NHL first introduced the idea of outdoor hockey way back in 2003 with the 2003 Heritage Classic, hockey fans have embraced the cold, the wind, the snow and the sleet just to watch NHL hockey in the great outdoors. So many of today’s biggest stars got their start playing on backyard rinks and frozen ponds, so there’s something extra special about seeing the game we all love being played outdoors. The thing is… by hosting the Winter Classic, Heritage Classic and Stadium Series games in giant football stadiums like Heinz Field, Michigan Stadium and Gillette Stadium the games don’t exactly have the same small town backyard rink atmosphere. The heart of hockey lives in those backyard rinks and ponds in communities across the United States and Canada. Communities like say… Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan capital city is the hometown of NHLers like Tyler Bozak, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Getzlaf and Chris Kunitz as well as former NHLers Garth Butcher, Scott Hartnell, Dave Tippett and Doug Wickenheiser and could be host to an upcoming NHL Heritage Classic according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Check out this report from Friedman, taken from his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet:

Reported this last year, hoping I’ll be correct this year, but Regina remains very much on the map for an NHL outdoor game. I’d assume Edmonton versus either Calgary or Winnipeg, but you know what happens when you assume. The league has visited Mosaic Stadium at least once this fall.

Mosaic Stadium, for those unaware, is the gorgeous home of the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and has a capacity of 40,000 for football games. Opened just last year, Mosaic Stadium is an open air stadium located in one of Canada’s least forgiving environments. Winter on the Canadian prairies is not for the faint of heart… just like hockey on the Canadian prairies. 

Here’s hoping that hockey fans get a truly unique experience at Mosaic Stadium and that this paves the way for more outdoor games in Canada. I mean… who wouldn’t LOVE to see a game at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario or at the historic Olympic Stadium in Montreal?