By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday announced programming details for their Centennial Game on Nov. 17, a celebration marking exactly 100 years since the franchise’s first NHL game against Toronto on Nov. 17, 1926.
The Blackhawks will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 6:30 p.m. at the United Center in a game presented by Circa Sports, according to a Nov. 10 team release.
The night will feature exclusive exhibits, special guests, commemorative keepsakes and milestone announcements. Fans arriving early through atrium doors at 4 p.m. will gain access to the Centennial Team Archive, a one-night-only exhibit tracing the franchise from its 1926 debut to the present.
The archive features rare artifacts and historic memorabilia, including Tony Esposito’s iconic mask and goalie gear and Stan Mikita’s 1966-67 Triple Crown trophies, according to the release.
The first 8,000 fans through the atrium doors will receive a limited-edition centennial game program. Inspired by programs distributed during the club’s inaugural 1926-27 season, the keepsake is lithograph-printed with textured accents on the front and back covers.
All five current Blackhawks ambassadors will appear together for the first time during a pregame question-and-answer session at 5:15 p.m. Denis Savard, Chris Chelios, Pat Foley, Jeremy Roenick and Eddie Olczyk will share stories from their careers and offer a behind-the-scenes look at life with the club.
“Bringing together more than four decades of Blackhawks hockey from the ice and the broadcast booth, the group will share stories from their careers,” the release said.
The Blackhawks won their inaugural game 4-1 against Toronto, then known as the St. Patricks. The Centennial Game will feature in-game tributes spotlighting the legends and eras that built the franchise.
The team will wear its centennial jerseys one final time, closing out the commemorative uniform introduced when the celebration began last season.
Chelios and Roenick will be available for fan photos during the first intermission. The franchise will also unveil its 2026-27 Blackhawks Hall of Fame class during the evening, with the induction ceremony scheduled for Sunday, March 14.
The Chicago Blackhawks Foundation launched a November silent auction featuring game-worn centennial jerseys from Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell, along with autographed locker stall nameplates. The auction runs through 11:59 a.m. on Nov. 30, with proceeds supporting the foundation.
The Centennial Game serves as the culmination of the organization’s centennial celebration that began last season. The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships during their 100-year history, most recently in 2015.
In a separate announcement Tuesday, the NHL said the Blackhawks and the Ottawa Senators will hold open practices on Dec. 19 at PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany, ahead of two regular-season Global Series games on Dec. 18 and 20. The matchup will feature next-generation talent Connor Bedard and Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle, who hails from Viersen, roughly 20 miles from Dusseldorf.
Limited tickets remain for the Centennial Game. The game will air on TNT and be broadcast on WGN Radio.
