The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to play another outdoor game.
According to Mike Harrison of The Buffalo News, there are plans in the works for a outdoor Heritage Classic game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres on March 13th, 2022.
The outdoor game will be played at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario. Harrington reports the game, which was originally going to be an afternoon game at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, was absent from the Sabres’ two half-season ticket options released last week.
Harrison pointed out that each plan included one preseason game and 20 regular season games. Put the two half-season options together and you only end up with 40 home games instead of 41.
This means the outdoor game in Hamilton would technically be a Sabres’ home game, but like most Sabres home games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the crowd will mostly made up of fans from Leafs Nation.
Toronto Maple Leafs Versus Buffalo Sabres Scheduling Issues
Harrison’s inquiries about the scheduling were referred to the NHL. A League source told Harrison that logistics are complicated because of uncertain border issues seven months out and the need to compensate the Sabres for the lost home game in Buffalo.
The ticketing issues with this game for Buffalo fans could be similar to what they experienced back on January 1st, 2018. On that date Buffalo was the “home team” in a game at Citi Field in Queens, New York against the New York Rangers. For that game, the Sabres season ticket subscribers got the first option to buy tickets or get a refund for the lost home game in KeyBank Center.
Tim Hortons Field has a normal capacity of about 24,000 for CFL games, but can be expanded to accommodate around 40,000 for special events such as the Heritage Classic.
This game will be the third of four meetings this season between the two teams. The first two games these two teams meet will surely ignite the rivalry, but a game of this magnitude will push it to a whole new level.
The hype for this game will be even more over the top if Jack Eichel remains a member of the Buffalo Sabres. Auston Matthews against Jack Eichel is a big draw for the NHL.
If everything works out, this Heritage Classic game will start at 3pm EST in a packed Tim Hortons Field with fans and players alike keeping the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres alive.