Canada
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Stamp picture
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First day of issue: December 16, 2017
Occasion: NHL 100 Classic,2017,Ottawa,Canada
Width: 222 mm
Height: 146 mm
Creative team:
     Irving Osterer, Designer
Location: Oversize album #8
Stamp ID = 5312

HISTORIC HOCKEY in the NATION's CAPITAL

The National Hockey League is celebrating it's centenary and marking the milestone with a series of special events across Canada and the United States. To commemorate the anniversary of the NHL's first game — a December 1917 Montreal Canadiens versus Ottawa Senators contest, the same two teams reprised the event outdoors at Landsdowne Park on December 16, the site of the 2017 Grey Cup game. The Senators initially had hoped to convince the government to hold the game on Parliament Hill, but security issues rendered play on the Canada 150 Ice Rink impossible. The Sens were eventually able to persuade Heritage Canada, to host an Ottawa Senators alumni game there on December 15.

I was fortunate to call on David Giles at Chris Green Stamps for his expertise and advice on how to best pursue philatelic tributes to these historic hockey events. The recent Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens hockey stamps provided an excellent vehicle to create attractive commemorative envelopes.

Given that the Alumni game was being played on Parliament Hill — it seemed fitting to try and pursue postmarks from the Senate and House of Commons. While at one time it was possible for the public to access the Parliament Hill Post Office, Giles advised me to contact my MP, as this was now the only sure way that I could get envelopes cancelled. My email was promptly answered by Fawzi Ghosn, Executive Assistant to Anita Vandenbeld, MP for Ottawa West-Nepean. Although the process was new to Mr. Ghosn, he was more than game, and was able to get beautiful hand cancelled covers.

Giles advised that getting a Saturday, December 16 postmark might be a little trickier — and suggested I try a retail post office close to the game site. The clerk at the Glebe Shopper's Drug Mart RPO was more than happy to postmark my envelopes despite a long line of seasonal customers.

The Ottawa Senators avenged their 1917 defeat at Dey's Arena, with an impressive 2017 shutout victory over the Canadiens at Landsdowne Park in freezing conditions!

Copies of these unique souvenirs marking this historic event will be sent to the City of Ottawa Archives as well as the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Irv Osterer
Ottawa, ON



Cachet maker is Irving Osterer.
From Linn's "Stamp Issuing Entities Of The World" page

Canada (1851-)
Stamp-issuing status: active; Population: 29,123,194. An independent state within the British Commonwealth, occupying the northern part of North America.