By this time next year, only two Canadian franchises won't have hosted an outdoor game: the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens.

Both the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs take it outside this year, leaving the Habs and Sens in the cold.

Either would be a good choice to host the next Heritage Classic regardless of the opponent, but a match between the two in Ottawa would be ideal. Here's why:

Location matters

As much as the Canadiens, the NHL's most historic franchise with 24 Stanley Cups, would play an excellent host, that's simply not possible given the logistics.

The fact remains that Montreal doesn't have a suitable, safe, and open-roof facility to host an outdoor game.

The best option, Olympic Stadium, is more than 40 years old, and its lack of a retractable roof makes it a no-go, leaving no other viable venue options.

Which takes us to Ottawa. The easy answer is TD Place Stadium, home of the CFL's Redblacks, which seats 24,000.

But if Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has his way, the game would be played before Canada's national parliament, as a celebration of not only the national pastime, but also the 150th anniversary of Canada.

The matchup

The good news is the Senators need an opponent, and the Canadiens are a terrific option. Since 2013, the Sens and Habs have met twice in the playoffs, and the two have developed a natural, and nasty, rivalry.

That's a ratings seller alone, but the Senators and Canadiens also boast two of the NHL's top players worth showcasing: goaltender Carey Price and defenseman Erik Karlsson, who are arguably the league's best at their respective positions.

A 2017 game would no doubt offer the two sides an opportunity to renew that rivalry, only from an outdoor rink and before a crowd of thousands.

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