The NHL preseason arrives on Saturday, September 19, and it opens with one of hockey’s most familiar matchups. Toronto and Montréal will face each other right away, giving Canadian fans an immediate taste of the season ahead.
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are set for split-squad games, with both clubs skating at the same time in Toronto and Montréal. Each game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, making it a rare double dose of the sport’s most recognizable Canadian rivalry.
Why the Same Teams Are Playing in Two Cities
This unusual setup is intentional, not a scheduling error. Both organizations are using split squads so a larger group of players can get live game action on the same night.
One portion of each roster will take the ice at Scotiabank Arena, while another group will play at the Bell Centre. That gives coaches more chances to assess prospects, depth players, and lineup combinations without waiting for another exhibition date.
- Toronto and Montréal both ice split squads.
- Games begin at 7 p.m. ET in both cities.
- The format helps teams evaluate more players quickly.
- It matters even more in a shortened preseason.
A Shorter Exhibition Schedule Raises the Stakes
The league’s 2026-27 preseason runs from September 19 through September 26, and the regular season starts on September 29. With fewer exhibition dates available, each appearance becomes more valuable for players trying to earn roles.
At the same time, the NHL has expanded the regular season from 82 games to 84. That leaves teams with less room to sort out rosters before the games count for real, so every shift in September carries more weight than it used to.
What Toronto Supporters Should Track
For Maple Leafs fans, the final score matters far less than the details inside the game. The coaching staff will be focused on individual performances, chemistry, and how certain players fit with established NHL regulars.
A few things will be especially worth watching:
- Which young players earn extended ice time
- Who gets paired with proven veterans
- How power-play groups are arranged
- Which penalty-killing units get early testing
Preseason is the time to experiment, and Toronto will likely use these games to test options that would be too risky once the points start counting.
Montréal Brings Confidence Into Camp
The Canadiens arrive with real momentum after a strong 2025-26 season. They finished with 106 points and advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, a result that has raised expectations around the team.
Montréal also locked in head coach Martin St. Louis with a multi-year contract extension, signaling clear belief in the direction he has built.
St. Louis Has Shifted the Team’s Trajectory
The Canadiens’ rise under St. Louis has been steady and measurable. Their point totals have climbed from 68 in 2022-23 to 76, then 91, and finally 106 last season.
That kind of growth changes the conversation. Montréal is no longer being judged as a rebuilding club hoping for progress; it is now expected to compete with the league’s better teams and stay relevant deep into the season.
An Early Look at a Bigger Opening Act
Saturday’s games are only the start of this rivalry’s new chapter. Toronto and Montréal will meet again when the regular season opens on September 29, just ten days later.
That makes this preseason meeting feel like a preview, even if the lineups and intensity will be different once the games count. The atmosphere may be lighter now, but the history between these teams never disappears.
For fans, the return of Leafs-Canadiens hockey is the clearest sign that summer is ending and a new season is finally here.
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