The Heritage Classic 2026 takes the Montréal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets outdoors at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday, 25 October. Puck drop is 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. in Winnipeg, and the game is on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. It is the eighth Heritage Classic and the 46th outdoor game in NHL history, according to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, and the first Heritage Classic since 2023.
Both clubs need a lift. Winnipeg is 4-3-3 after 10 games, and Montréal is 4-3-2 and without its captain, Nick Suzuki, who is out for two to four weeks. Jets coach Scott Arniel told NHL.com he expects “an unreal atmosphere” for a crowd that CityNews put at more than 30,000.
| Heritage Classic 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, 25 October 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. in Winnipeg) |
| Venue | Princess Auto Stadium, Winnipeg |
| TV in Canada | Sportsnet and TVA Sports |
| TV in the US | TNT, truTV and HBO Max |
| Stadium gates | 4:30 p.m. local time |
| Forecast | Sunny, high of 5°C; clear overnight, low of minus 4°C |
| Records | Jets 4-3-3, Canadiens 4-3-2 |
How to watch the Heritage Classic in Canada
Sportsnet has the English-language broadcast and TVA Sports the French. In the United States the game is on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. Our guide to how to watch the NHL in Canada has the broadcasters for every Canadian club.
Heritage Classic weather forecast
Environment Canada’s forecast for Winnipeg, issued at 6 a.m. ET on 23 October, calls for a sunny Sunday with a high of 5°C and a clear night with a low of minus 4°C. The puck drops at 6 p.m. local time, so the temperature should fall through the game. Saturday looks windier, with gusts up to 70 km/h.
The NHL is not worried. Derek King, the league’s vice-president of facilities and hockey operations, told CityNews on 22 October that the ice was in and the build was ahead of schedule. Sunlight is the other variable: the last Heritage Classic in Winnipeg, in 2016, was scheduled for 2 p.m. local time and was delayed by nearly two hours because of glare off the ice, CityNews noted.
Team news: Canadiens without Suzuki
Suzuki’s absence ends a 546-game ironman streak, and our Suzuki injury story has the details. Ivan Demidov is also on injured reserve. Montréal plays in Chicago on Friday, the first game of a four-game road trip, before heading to Winnipeg.
Winnipeg’s goaltending story is off the ice. Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension was lifted on Friday, but he has to pass a physical before he can return, and TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on 22 October that the Jets and Hellebuyck could agree to wait until after Sunday so it does not overshadow the event. Our Hellebuyck story covers the trade request.
Heritage Classic 2026 jerseys
Both clubs will wear one-off uniforms designed by Fanatics with the teams and the league. The Jets go with white, a nod to the franchise’s look in the 1980s and 1990s, with a felt, chain-stitched crest and a streaking jet graphic on the hem.
The Canadiens’ jersey mixes details from across the club’s history in red, blue and a vintage off-white, with a redrawn CH in felt. Les Habitants appears inside the back collar for the first time, and a fleur-de-lis on the loop label honours Québec.
Heritage Classic weekend schedule
Saturday, 24 October
The Jets alumni play the Canadiens alumni at Canada Life Centre, with Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault among the Winnipeg names and The Trews playing before the game and between periods. The Jets’ free Fan Fest runs from noon to 8:30 p.m. at the RBC Convention Centre, with a watch party for the alumni game from 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, 25 October
The Scotiabank NHL PreGame tailgate runs from noon to 5:30 p.m. in the University of Manitoba’s U Lot, across the street from the stadium. A game ticket gets you in, and the Stanley Cup will be there for photos. Stadium gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the puck drops at 6 p.m., all local time.
Getting there and stadium rules
Park and ride buses run from five lots from noon and cost C$5 per person for the round trip. The BLUE Rapid Transit line is the regular C$3.25 fare. Princess Auto Stadium is cashless on game day, bags larger than 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches are not allowed, and alcohol sales stop at the 10-minute mark of the third period, according to the NHL’s fan guide.
Heritage Classic history and results
The series began on 22 November 2003, when the Canadiens beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 at Commonwealth Stadium in the NHL’s first outdoor game. Rosen notes it was 0°F at puck drop, and Richard Zednik scored the first goal in outdoor history.
| Date | Stadium | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Nov 2003 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton | Canadiens 4-3, Oilers |
| 20 Feb 2011 | McMahon Stadium, Calgary | Flames 4-0, Canadiens |
| 2 Mar 2014 | BC Place, Vancouver | Senators 4-2, Canucks |
| 23 Oct 2016 | Investors Group Field (now Princess Auto Stadium), Winnipeg | Oilers 3-0, Jets |
| 26 Oct 2019 | Mosaic Stadium, Regina | Jets 2-1 (OT), Flames |
| 13 Mar 2022 | Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton | Sabres 5-2, Maple Leafs |
| 29 Oct 2023 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton | Oilers 5-2, Flames |
The Oilers are the only club with two Heritage Classic wins. Only one game has gone to overtime: Bryan Little’s winner for the Jets against Calgary in Regina in 2019. Sunday is Winnipeg’s third outdoor game. It is Montréal’s fifth and its first since 2017, and the Canadiens are 2-2-0 in the previous four, according to the NHL.
Betting on the game? Our Jets vs Canadiens preview has the team news, a prediction and the odds. Odds may change. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly.
Heritage Classic 2026 FAQs
Puck drop is 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, 25 October 2026, which is 6 p.m. local time in Winnipeg.
Sportsnet in English and TVA Sports in French. In the United States it is on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.
Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, home of the CFL’s Blue Bombers. The Jets host the Montreal Canadiens.
The Edmonton Oilers, with two wins, in 2016 and 2023. The Canadiens won the first Heritage Classic in 2003.
Environment Canada forecasts a sunny Sunday in Winnipeg with a high of 5 C and a clear night with a low of minus 4 C.
No. The Canadiens captain is out for two to four weeks with an upper-body injury announced on 22 October.
19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC) | Please play responsibly | Results and schedule from the NHL | Forecast from Environment Canada, issued 23 October | ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON); your province’s helpline is on our gambling awareness page.