The announcement was made during a press conference on Friday in Ottawa, where the League is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup. Canada is also celebrating 150 years of Confederation.
Since Dec. 19, 1917, there have been 54,004 regular-season NHL® games played (through Thursday). The first night in League history included a game between the original Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens at Dey's Arena in Ottawa. The Canadiens, on the strength of five goals from Joe Malone, won 7-4.
"By bringing the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens together, outdoors at Lansdowne Park, we recreate -- and reimagine -- a matchup of founding NHL franchises who launched 100 years of remarkable history for our League and our fans," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "The 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic will serve as another signature event in our Centennial Celebration, will set the stage for the next 100 years of NHL excitement and will contribute a unique sports moment to Canada's sesquicentennial."
This is the first time the Senators will host an outdoor game. Ottawa defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 4-2, in the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place.
"Ottawa is the home of the Stanley Cup and 100 years ago our Senators played their first NHL game to help give rise to the greatest professional hockey league in the world," Senators owner and chairman Eugene Melnyk said. "Hockey has deep and revered roots here in the nation's capital. Our team and our fans are exceptionally honored to play host to an NHL outdoor game this December that will cap off the League's year-long Centennial celebrations."
The Canadiens will be making their fourth appearance in a regular-season outdoor NHL game. Montreal is 2-1-0, most recently defeating the Boston Bruins, 5-1, at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
"We are proud and honored to have been selected to take an active part in the NHL's Centennial festivities and the celebration surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation," Canadiens president and CEO Geoff Molson said. "This outdoor game in the nation's capital between two of the League's longest established franchises will be an event for fans in both cities to enjoy as the 100-year-old rivalry between the two clubs reaches a new level. For our players and our fans, this match-up will be yet another chapter in NHL history," said Canadiens president and CEO Geoff Molson.
