Canadiens vs Jets outdoors at Heritage Classic: start time and guide
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Montreal Canadiens meet Winnipeg Jets outdoors in Winnipeg on Sunday, October 25.
- Puck drop is 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, and 4 am PKT on Monday.
- The game counts in the standings, with two points on the line.
The Montreal Canadiens play the Winnipeg Jets outside on Sunday night. The game is the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. It takes place at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
Puck drop is 7 pm ET. That is 6 pm local time in Winnipeg. In Pakistan, that is 4 am on Monday.
What happened
Fans gathered around the stadium long before puck drop. The NHL ran a fan festival at the University of Manitoba. It ran from noon to 5:30 pm local time.
Only ticket holders could enter the festival. Fans could see the Stanley Cup up close. They could take photos with the trophy.
A Winnipeg band called Flatland Famous played on stage.
One fan story stood out at the festival. Kelsey Rathwell is from Winnipeg. She begged her dad to take her to the first Winnipeg Heritage Classic in 2016. He said no because she was young then.
This time, she bought him a ticket. They went to the game together. She wore a new jersey with the new event patch.
Her dad wore his jersey with the old 2016 patch.
Another family drove eight hours to get there. The Koops family came from Sioux Center, Iowa. They are big Montreal fans.
It was their first outdoor game. Jeff Koops grew up in southern Ontario. He played outdoor hockey on a pond as a kid.
He said the outdoor game brings that feeling back.
The weekend started with an alumni game on Saturday. Montreal beat Winnipeg 7-4 in that game. Guillaume Latendresse scored two goals.
Paul Byron scored two goals as well. The alumni game took place at Canada Life Centre. It set a friendly tone for Sunday.
Why it matters
This is not an exhibition game. It counts in the regular season. Two points are at stake for each team.
Players said the setting is special, but the result still matters. Chris Kreider has won three outdoor NHL games. He said such a game is only fun if you win.
His words show the mix of joy and pressure.
For Winnipeg, this is the third outdoor game in team history. The Jets played Calgary in Regina in 2019. They played Edmonton at this same stadium in 2016. For Montreal, this is the fifth outdoor game. It is the first since 2017. Montreal holds a 2-2-0 record in outdoor games.
A win here would tip that record above .500.
Many Montreal players are new to outdoor NHL games. Kaiden Guhle plays his first one on Sunday. He grew up in Edmonton.
He recalls lake hockey days that were too cold to play. Oliver Kapanen also plays his first outdoor NHL game. He played outside every day after school in Finland.
He grew up in Timra, a town in Sweden's north.
Mike Matheson plays his first outdoor game too. He grew up in Pointe-Claire, near Montreal. He said his family drove around town to find the best ice.
Some days they played in a backyard rink. Other days they moved to a new rink when snow piled up. His parents and his three kids joined him in Winnipeg.
He said he wants to see the game through his kids' eyes.
Phil Danault has old outdoor losses to erase. He lost to Ottawa in the 2017 NHL 100 Classic. He also lost 6-1 to Minnesota early in his career.
That loss came in his second season with Chicago. He said he is due a win this time. His wife, son, and in-laws watched from the stands.
How to watch
In Canada, watch on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. In the United States, watch on TNT and truTV. The game also streams on HBO Max in the US.
Yahoo Sports lists the same US channels for the game. Check your local listings if you are outside these regions. Start time is the same for all viewers.
More than 30,000 fans were expected at the stadium. The forecast called for clear skies at puck drop. The temperature was set at 3 C.
That is cold, but mild for Winnipeg in late October. Sportsnet called the weather ideal for outdoor hockey. Players did not need extra layers for warmth.
The stadium look
The NHL turned the stadium into a giant cabin retreat. Timber logs frame the rink like a cabin wall. A stone fireplace stands at the front of the field.
Its fire glows as a visual anchor. Giant decorative skates flank the fireplace. They stand for each team in the game.
Four stages sit along the front edge of the rink. Each stage glows in a different colour. They host musical acts during the game.
The opening ceremony starts with the Canadian anthem. Singer-songwriter SoulBear performs the anthem. Former Jets stars drop the ceremonial first puck.
Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, and Blake Wheeler take part. Young players from the Timbits Under-7 program skate on a side rink.
The uniforms
Both teams wear special uniforms for this game. Fanatics designed them with the teams and the NHL. The Jets wear white as the main colour.
The look nods to the team's classic style from the 1980s and 1990s. The crest uses felt with chain stitching. A streaking jet graphic frames the event name on the hem.
The loop label repeats the jet-in-a-circle design.
Montreal wears red and blue with vintage off-white. The design draws on many eras of team history. For the first time, "Les Habitants" appears on the back collar.
That nickname nods to the team's French roots. The loop label shows a fleur-de-lis for Quebec. The classic CH crest was redrawn in an old style.
It uses felt with running stitch detail.
Fans could buy the uniforms and other event gear online. Shops sold them at Fanatics, NHL Shop, and team stores. A wider retail launch followed on October 8. Many fans at the festival wore the new gear.
That added to the sea of red, blue, and white.
What happens next
The result will shape the early season for both teams. A win gives two points in the standings. A loss still leaves a long season ahead.
Both teams return to indoor rinks after this game. The outdoor stage will be taken down soon. The memories will last far longer for fans and players.
This event also marks a return after a gap. The Heritage Classic had been away for three seasons. Its return honours Canada's outdoor hockey roots.
Fans in Winnipeg waited ten years for a repeat. The last Winnipeg Heritage Classic was in 2016. This one gave a new generation its own story.
If you missed puck drop, check the score after the game. The full result will be on NHL and team sites. Highlights will show the cabin rink and the uniforms.
They will also show the crowd under the lights. For now, the simple story stands. Two Canadian teams played hockey outside.
They did it in front of a huge crowd. They did it for two points that count.
Related games to follow
Rive News covered a first game abroad for another league this weekend. That story shows how a first-time venue changes a game. Our stadium guide explains what a big home ground adds to a match.
For another preview format, see our Delta Center preview from this weekend.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,