Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Toronto wants to host the Winter Classic

Toronto Maple Leafs v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - DECEMBER 27: Cody Franson #4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is congratulated by teammates after scoring a second period goal against the Florida Panthers on December 27, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Getty Images

In a bit of breaking news, it’s come to light that the Toronto organization would like to host a Winter Classic. In related news, water is wet and the Boston Bruins are good at hockey.

There are rumors aplenty that Detroit has the inside track for next year’s Winter Classic—but for now, they are just rumors. Gary Bettman addressed some media members yesterday and narrowed it down to cities that haven’t already hosted a Winter Classic and teams that could handle the climate requirements. In other words, there are 25 teams that are hopefully that they can make some kind of pitch to the league. If they can play a game in Las Vegas, then owners would surely want to find a creative way to get in on the action.

One of the ideas floating is that the Toronto Maple Leafs would like to throw their hat into the ring. Brian Burke, as blunt as ever, was straight to the point with QMI Agency today: “We would love to host a game and the league knows it.”

There isn’t a lot of gray area in that statement, is there?

Of course, the players would be all over the chance to play in an outdoor game as well. Leafs rookie Nazem Kadri spoke to reporters, “It’s something that I’ve always watched. I think it would be cool for Toronto to get in on something like that.”

There are about 23 guys on 29 other teams that would agree that it would be fun “to get in on something like that.” Either way, it’s good to know that the Leafs would be willing participants if the NHL tapped them on the shoulder. After all, there was that .0001 percent chance that they wouldn’t be interested.