FOXBOROUGH, MASS.

The scene was perfect for a game of pond hockey.

As the NHL marked the start of 2016 with its 15th outdoor game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins here Friday afternoon on New Year’s Day at the 70,000-seat Gillette Stadium, you couldn’t help but let the mind wander and think about what this kind of game might look like in Canada’s capital on Parliament Hill in December 2017.

If Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has his way, and if commissioner Gary Bettman and the people at the league office can find a way, the city of Ottawa would celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the NHL with a Heritage Classic on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Right now, it’s just a concept and a dream, really, because league officials are concerned it’s a logistical nightmare.

But if the club is looking for any backing all they have to do is pick up the phone and call independent Senator Jacques Demers for support.

Demers told the Sun before coaching the Canadiens’ Oldtimers in their 5-4 shootout loss to the Bruins here on New Year’s Eve he’d be behind a game on the Hill.

“It would be great. The Montreal Canadiens would be the perfect choice and that’s nothing against the Maple Leafs,” Demers, who stepped away from the Conservative caucus last month, said Thursday. “This is Canada. As an independent Senator, to see that, the beautiful building, the lights, it has to be done and it has to be done well.

“From what I’ve seen from the NHL here, they do it well. There’s no question it could be done and I hope it would be done.”

It sounds far-fetched but it’s not impossible. The people at Evenko, who just happen to be under the same ownership as the Habs, have pop-up stadium technology that can be fitted for just about anywhere. In 2011, they turned Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal into an 80,000-seat stadium.

The technology is expensive but the league is being asked to look at the big picture and the kind of exposure a backdrop Parliament Hill would bring to this event. The former Conservative government originally pitched the idea to the NHL but was talking about a small stadium of less than 20,000.

That won’t do it because the league wouldn’t even come close to breaking even and that would be non-sensical. Something in the 40,000-to-50,000-seat range makes more sense. There are a lot of concerns.

“Anything can be done,” Demers said. “If you wanted to do it, it could be done.

“You can’t have 25,000 people. In a venue like that, you need at least 50,000 people because it’s very costly, you’ve got the players and you’ve got two teams that are playing for two points. It’d be great. I was the coach in Edmonton (for the 2003 Heritage Classic) and it was great for Canada. Hopefully, they can do it and it can happen.”

Demers said he doesn’t believe the project will be sidetracked with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a Liberal government in power.

“It would be unique and I know one thing for sure, (Former PM Stephen) Harper was a great hockey fan and Justin Trudeau is another big-time hockey fan so you know you’re going to get the backing of the government because somehow they’re going to have to back it,” said Demers.

“They’d have to facilitate things. There’s a lot of big hockey fans on the Hill and it would be great, plus you’d bring people from everywhere. Today, we saw people from Ontario, Quebec and people from Alberta. People come from everywhere to be part of these events.”

The players would love to see it. Boston Bruins’ centre Ryan Spooner grew up in Ottawa, a stones throw away from the Parliament buildings

“I think it would be cool. I’m trying to picture it, actually. I think it could work it’s a good spot for it,” said Spooner, who went to the light show on the Hill in the summer. “I’m not sure how they’d do the seating but just the background of it would be great and the meaning behind it would be cool.

“I’m from there and it’s a cool thing. If they could do a game there and seat 40,000 people I think that would be enough. It would be fun time, for sure.”

Demers said it’s possible if the league is determined.

“I believe, if you put your mind to it, we have experts and especially the guy who makes the ice, it can be done,” said Demers. “To me, it’s going to happen but it has to be well thought of by the experts who know how to design this kind of one-day arena for two games.”

The other option is TD Place, but the first choice is Parliament Hill.

After witnessing this first hand Friday, it’s a scene all of Canada would embrace.

TORONTO GETTING IN ON THE FUN?

A game in the great outdoors could be headed for Toronto in 2017.

While the Maple Leafs haven’t kept secret their desire to hold a game at BMO Field next season to mark the 100th anniversary of the club and the NHL, a report by ESPN.com Friday indicated the city is a frontrunner to get a game next season.

Though the Leafs would like a Winter Classic, the report indicated with the world junior championships being split between Toronto and Montreal during the holiday season and that Toronto will likely get a game against the New York Rangers as part of the Stadium Series.

Of course, nothing is finalized because there are several cities lined up who want to get outdoor games. Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Ottawa all want to have games because they’ve already been held in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary in the past.

Email: bruce.garrioch@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @sungarrioch