Hockey is officially back, and the first night of the 2026-27 preseason brings a classic Canadian matchup right away. On Saturday, September 19, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montréal Canadiens open their exhibition schedules against one another in a split-squad setup.
That means two games at the same time, both starting at 7 p.m. ET. One will be held at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, while the other takes place at the Bell Centre in Montréal.
Why the Teams Are Playing Two Games at Once
This unusual arrangement is intentional. Each club is sending one group of players to Toronto and another to Montréal, giving coaches a chance to evaluate more skaters in live action on the same night.
That matters even more now because the preseason is shorter than it used to be. With fewer exhibition dates available, every shift becomes more valuable for players trying to earn a roster spot or secure a larger role.
- Split squads let both teams test more players in real game settings.
- Coaches can compare lineup combinations without waiting for another preseason date.
- Young players get a meaningful chance to stand out early.
The NHL preseason runs from September 19 through September 26, and the regular season follows on September 29.
A Shorter Preseason, a Longer Regular Season
This year’s schedule looks different from past seasons. The regular season has grown from 82 games to 84, while the preseason has been trimmed back.
That shift leaves teams with less time to sort out their depth charts, fine-tune special teams, and settle on combinations before the games begin to count. It also puts more pressure on players at the edge of the roster, since there are fewer chances to leave a strong impression.
For coaches, the preseason is now less about volume and more about efficiency. Every matchup must do more work in less time.
What Toronto Fans Will Be Watching
For Maple Leafs supporters, the final score matters far less than the individual performances. The real questions involve which younger players earn extra ice time and which veterans are paired with them.
Special teams will also deserve attention. Exhibition games often serve as a testing ground for power-play setups and penalty-killing groups, giving the staff room to experiment before the standings matter.
If Toronto looks sharp, that is useful. If it looks messy, that is still information. Preseason hockey is about finding answers, not chasing headlines.
Montréal Brings Confidence Into the Opening Week
The Canadiens arrive with real momentum after a strong 2025-26 season. Montréal collected 106 points and reached the Eastern Conference Final, a major step forward for a team that has spent several seasons building upward.
The organization has also removed uncertainty behind the bench by giving head coach Martin St. Louis a multi-year contract extension. That decision gives the club stability heading into camp and signals that management believes the progress is real.
Under St. Louis, Montréal’s results have improved steadily. The team climbed from 68 points in 2022-23 to 76, then 91, and finally 106 last season.
What once looked like a developing team now feels like one expected to compete every night.
That rise has changed the tone around the franchise. Canadiens fans are no longer simply waiting for growth; they are expecting the next step to arrive quickly.
An Early Glimpse of a Familiar Rivalry
The preseason opener is only the first chapter. Toronto and Montréal will meet again when the regular season begins on September 29, giving Saturday’s games extra meaning as an early preview.
The lineups will be different, the pace will likely be higher, and the stakes will be real when the games count. Still, the matchup will carry the same edge that has defined this rivalry for generations.
For Canadian hockey fans, the message is simple: summer is over, the season is back, and one of the NHL’s biggest rivalries is ready to set the tone from the start.