NEW YORK — The Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens will be back on the streets next season.
The NHL announced Saturday that the teams will meet in the 2026 Tim Hortons Legacy NHL Classic at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
The event, set for Oct. 25, 2026, will be the league's eighth Heritage Classic and the first since 2023.
Winnipeg will host its second outdoor showcase since losing to the Edmonton Oilers at the home of the CFL Blue Bombers in October 2016 in front of a crowd of 33,240. The Jets have a 1-1-0 record in regular season outdoor games. Winnipeg defeated the Calgary Flames in overtime at the 2019 Heritage Classic in Regina.
Montreal, which will be competing in its fifth outdoor game and first in nine years, is 2-2-0 in four element events. Montreal defeated Edmonton at the 2003 Heritage Classic in Alberta's capital and lost to the Flames in Calgary in 2011.
The Canadiens played in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2016, defeating the Boston Bruins in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Canadiens also swept the Ottawa Senators in the 2017 NHL100 Classic.
“When the Heritage Classic came to Winnipeg in 2016, we were blown away by the amazing fan response and how great the venue was,” Steve Mayer, NHL president of content and events, said in a statement. “Given the success the Jets have had since we were last there, it’s only fitting that we bring another outdoor spectacle to Winnipeg.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2025.
