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It seems the Toronto Maple Leafs will get a major outdoor event during their 100th year of existence after all.
On Wednesday, the NHL announced the Maple Leafs will host something called the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic at BMO Field in Toronto on New Year's Day. The outdoor game will likely take place after the annual Winter Classic, which has yet to be announced.
No doubt the Leafs were banking on being a part of the Winter Classic in 2017, since the club will celebrate its 100th year that season. They also missed out on the Heritage Classic outdoor game, which will be held in Winnipeg in 2017.
The Leafs' opponents will be the Detroit Red Wings, which is fitting since the two clubs are part of the hallowed "Original Six" NHL teams from the league's first conception. It's also the second outdoor game between the two clubs; the Red Wings hosted Leafs in the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The attendance at that game (105,491 fans) set the NHL attendance record.
The Centennial Classic certainly won't touch that mark, since BMO Field seats fewer than 40,000 fans. BMO Field is the home of the Canadian men's and women's national soccer teams and will be the home of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts starting in 2016.