“We’d really like to play an away game in Montreal” — Bill Daly

Raphael Simard
“We’d really like to play an away game in Montreal” — Bill Daly
Credit: YT

The NHL plans to hold outdoor games outside North America.

The French capital, Paris, has already been mentioned as a potential location, and the Canadiens have been linked to this outdoor game. But when will an outdoor game take place in Montreal? In its entire history, the Habs have never hosted a Winter Classic or Heritage Game in their home city.

An article in La Page Sportive reports that Bill Daly, the NHL's assistant commissioner, would very much like to see an outdoor game in the Montreal area, but “for now, there are no plans regarding the venue, location, or date.”

According to Louis-André Larivière (LPS), there were talks in 2017 regarding a game near Windsor Station, where the very first contract was signed 100 years earlier. McGill University's stadium, Percival Molson Stadium—where the Alouettes play their home games—was under consideration, but it is far too small to host a professional hockey game.

Ultimately, the outdoor game between the Habs and the Senators took place near the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. It was one of four outdoor games in which the Habs participated.

In 2003, Montreal faced the Oilers, before participating in a Heritage Classic in 2011 against the Flames, and then going head-to-head with the Boston Bruins in Foxborough. Next year, Montreal and the Jets will face off at Princess Auto Stadium, the home of the Blue Bombers in the CFL, as part of a Heritage Classic.

The Bleu-Blanc-Rouge organization has a 2-2-0 record on the road.

As for an away game in the city of Montreal, that remains to be seen. The NHL is willing, but will it go all the way to make it happen?


In a nutshell

– Stay tuned.

– Oh, really.

– A thunderous shot.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!