As summer winds down, hockey starts to take center stage again for fans in Quebec. The 2026–2027 NHL season is shaping up to feel busier than usual, with a tougher schedule, fresh momentum around the Canadiens, and an opening night that should draw plenty of attention across the province.
Canadiens preseason dates are already set
Montreal has released its preseason slate, and the schedule is packed into just three dates with five games total. That condensed format gives fans several chances to see the roster in action before the games begin to count.
- September 19: split-squad matchups against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with one game in Montreal and the other in Toronto.
- September 21: a road trip to Trois-Rivières to meet the Ottawa Senators at Colisée Vidéotron during a Kraft Hockeyville event.
- September 26: another pair of split-squad games, this time against Ottawa.
Home-game tickets went on sale August 5, so supporters have had time to lock in their plans. The Trois-Rivières date should be a special one, giving local fans a rare chance to watch NHL action up close.
A heavier regular season is on the way
The league is also moving into a more demanding format. Each team will now play 84 regular-season games instead of the previous total, bringing the league-wide schedule to 1,344 games.
The regular season will run until April 16, which leaves clubs with a little less breathing room and raises the importance of every point earned along the way.
Why September matters before the puck drops
September is more than a warm-up month. It is when line combinations start to take shape, young players try to force their way onto the roster, and coaches begin settling on the systems they want to trust once the season begins.
For Canadiens fans, it is also the first real look at how the team’s spring energy carries into a new campaign. That makes the preseason schedule and the league’s expanded grind worth following closely right now.