A Toronto city councillor is pushing for the city to host a major outdoor National Hockey League game in the coming years, suggesting the Rogers Centre could provide a spectacular setting for the event. Scarborough Guildwood councillor Paul Ainslie has introduced a motion asking city council to support Toronto as a potential host for a large scale outdoor NHL matchup similar to the league’s Stadium Series.
Ainslie plans to present the proposal to the city’s Executive Committee, arguing that the timing would be ideal. The year 2027 marks the 100th anniversary of the Toronto Hockey Club officially becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to Ainslie, the milestone presents a unique opportunity for Toronto to stage a major outdoor hockey event that celebrates the city’s deep connection to the sport.
The motion asks the City Manager and economic development officials to begin discussions with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the NHL, and Rogers to explore whether hosting such a game would be possible. Ainslie described the request as a preliminary step aimed at examining the feasibility of organizing a large outdoor game in Toronto.
Toronto has hosted outdoor NHL games before, including the Centennial Classic held at BMO Field in 2017 to commemorate both the league’s and the Toronto Hockey Club’s centennials. However, the NHL’s Stadium Series has never taken place in Toronto or anywhere else in Canada since the event was introduced in 2014.
Ainslie suggested that a future outdoor game could be staged at the Rogers Centre with the roof open, allowing fans and television audiences to see the CN Tower and Toronto skyline behind the rink. He said the setting would create a memorable visual experience for spectators and broadcasters alike.
While the NHL has already scheduled a Stadium Series game in Dallas at AT and T Stadium in 2027, the league has hosted more than one outdoor event in the same year before. Ainslie emphasized that his proposal does not require any financial commitments from the city at this stage and does not ask the league to add a second game.
Instead, the councillor said the motion is intended to start conversations and assess whether hosting an outdoor NHL event in Toronto would be practical. He added that such a game could highlight Toronto’s long standing hockey tradition while also generating economic benefits through tourism, hospitality, and local businesses. If approved by the Executive Committee, the motion will move forward for consideration by Toronto city council at a future meeting.
