Report: NHL to announce outdoor game in Ottawa between Senators, Canadiens

It may not be the one the Ottawa Senators originally vied for, but it seems the team will finally host an outdoor game.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will reportedly be in Ottawa on Friday to announce that the Senators will host the Montreal Canadiens in an outdoor game at TD Place next season on Dec. 17, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

It's unknown how the game will be branded, though it is intended to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the first NHL game in Ottawa, played between the Senators and Canadiens on Dec. 19, 1917.

TD Place - home to the CFL's Ottawa RedBlacks - will host the 105th Grey Cup three weeks before the NHL's next outdoor showcase. Garrioch notes that additional seating from Canada's football championship will be left in for Ottawa's outdoor spectacle, allowing for a potential capacity of 34,000 fans.

Negotiations between the Senators and NHL have been ongoing for some time. Originally, the Senators wanted to stage the game on Parliament Hill, but the Canadian government denied access.