Montreal Canadiens to open their home season on Oct. 6 against the defending champions

Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki (14) congratulates Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal (11) following Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, May 29, 2026. (Karl DeBlaker/The Associated Press)

The Montreal Canadiens will open their home season on Oct. 6 by hosting the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, the NHL announced Wednesday morning.

For their part, the Hurricanes will open their home season a few days earlier, hosting the Florida Panthers on Sept. 29. They will use this opportunity to raise their second Stanley Cup championship banner, following the one they won in 2006.

The Habs won’t be left out, as that same evening they’ll kick off the home season for their longtime rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. This could also mark the first official game of forward Gavin McKenna’s career—the first overall pick in the latest NHL draft.

Then, a few hours later, star player Connor McDavid and his Edmonton Oilers teammates—who will be led this season by controversial head coach Mike Babcock—will take the ice. The Oilers will face off against the Vancouver Canucks for the occasion.

It’s also worth noting that the legendary Alexander Ovechkin could potentially play his final career home opener on Oct. 7, when the Washington Capitals host Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The rest of the NHL’s regular-season schedule will be unveiled on Thursday at 1 p.m.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 15, 2026.