NHL eyes Leafs and Sabres outdoor game in Hamilton next season

The Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres might take the ice outdoors in Hamilton next season.

The NHL is eyeing a Heritage Classic between the Sabres and Leafs at Tim Hortons Field, according to a report from Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. The target date is March 13, with the Sabres expected to be the home team.

Neither the Leafs nor the NHL would comment late Sunday, but an industry source confirmed the report to the Star's Mark Zwolinski.

Tim Hortons Field, the home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, typically holds up to 23,000 fans but can be expanded to 40,000 for special events.

There have been five Heritage Classic games played (all between Canadian teams) since the event debuted in 2003 with a matchup between Montreal and Edmonton that was the NHL's first outdoor game. The Leafs are the only Canadian team that hasn't been part of a Heritage Classic yet, though they have taken part in three other outdoor games, most recently in 2018 against the Washington Capitals.

How will the ice hold up in Hamilton during the late winter season? It's sure to be a question on the minds of the league and its fans after last season's ice-melting outdoor affair between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche at Lake Tahoe. The event was paused for eight hours after bright sun and temperatures hovering around freezing led to poor ice conditions.

On March 13 of this year, temperatures reached a high of 5 C in the afternoon in Hamilton, according to Environment Canada. In 2020, the daily high was 10 C. In 2017, parts of the city saw 13 centimetres of snow.

Braydon Holmyard is a Star digital producer based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @braydonholmyard