The thrill of outdoor hockey is set to return as the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens gear up for a chilly showdown in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
Announced by the NHL on Saturday, the two teams are slated to clash at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium on Oct. 25, 2026. This highly-anticipated event will be the eighth Heritage Classic, with the last one taking place back in 2023.
Winnipeg, having previously hosted an outdoor game in 2016 against the Edmonton Oilers, is eager to embrace the outdoor ice once again. The Jets hold a 1-1-0 record in regular-season outdoor games, including a memorable victory over the Calgary Flames in the 2019 Heritage Classic.
Meanwhile, Montreal will be making its fifth appearance in outdoor games, the first one in nearly a decade. The Canadiens have a 2-2-0 record in outdoor matchups, with notable wins against Edmonton in 2003 and a tough loss to the Flames in 2011.
Notable outdoor game victories for Montreal include the Winter Classic triumph over the Boston Bruins in 2016 and a memorable win against the Senators at the NHL100 Classic in 2017.
Excited about the upcoming Heritage Classic, Steve Mayer, NHL’s president of content and events, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “When Winnipeg hosted the Heritage Classic in 2016, we were blown away by the amazing fan response and the fantastic venue. With the Jets’ success since then, it’s only fitting to bring this outdoor spectacle back to Winnipeg.”
