As the NHL gets set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2017, the league announced the many events that will dot the calendar over the next two seasons. The NHL also announced that Wayne Gretzky, the league's all-time leading scorer, will serve as the official Centennial Ambassador.
The league's celebration begins in earnest on Jan. 1 when the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field in the first and last Centennial Classic in Toronto. Gretzky, an Ontario native himself, will be on hand at this and the many other Centennial events throughout the year.