NHL Accidentally Leaks Canadiens vs. Jets Heritage Classic Game

If an NHL leak is to be believed, the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets are set to revive one of hockey’s most iconic outdoor stages next season.

Oct 26, 2019; Regina, Saskatchewan, CAN; Winnipeg Jets react to a third period goal during the 2019 Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game against the Calgary Flames at Mosaic Stadium. Jets won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images

After a two-season hiatus, the Heritage Classic is set to return next fall.

The NHL listed the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens as the two participants in the game on its website in an apparent leak, which is set to take place at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba — home of the Canadian Football League’s Blue Bombers.

The outdoor matchup is supposedly scheduled for Oct. 25, 2026, but no further information has been announced and the page that listed the initial details of the matchup has seemingly been pulled from the website, with an error message now in its place.

The Heritage Classic, which is played at football stadiums across Canada, hasn’t been an annual contest but rather an infrequent event every couple of seasons — unlike the similar Winter Classic and Stadium Series. What also sets it apart is that it usually consists of two Canadian teams facing off against one another.

The last Heritage Classic was played in 2023 between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta. The Oilers won 5-2 in front of a crowd of 55,411.

The Heritage Classic Has a Long History

Despite only being played seven times, the roots of the Heritage Classic run deep. The event debuted in 2003, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens in what became the first outdoor game in NHL history. Despite temperatures plunging to nearly minus-22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-30 Celsius), a crowd of 57,167 packed Commonwealth Stadium to watch the Oilers fall 4-3 to the visiting Canadiens. That game paved the way for future outdoor showcases like the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series. But even with its success, the Heritage Classic would go dormant for quite some time.

It wasn’t until 2011 that the league resurrected the event, returning it to Alberta — this time in Calgary at McMahon Stadium. Unlike the inaugural edition — a tight, entertaining one-goal affair — the second installment didn’t match the same drama, as the Flames rolled to a 4-0 win.

Oct 29, 2023; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) leads the team out before the first period in the 2023 Heritage Classic ice hockey game at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images / Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

Five more Heritage Classics have been played since then. In 2014, the Ottawa Senators topped the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 at BC Place. Two years later, the game made its first trip to Winnipeg, where the Oilers shut out the Jets 3-0. Winnipeg returned to the showcase again in 2019, this time in Regina, Saskatchewan, earning a 2-1 win over the Flames at Mosaic Stadium.

The game then made the trek to Hamilton, Ontario, during the 2021-22 season, where — for the first time in Heritage Classic history — a U.S.-based team participated. Unfortunately for the locals, the Buffalo Sabres spoiled things for the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 5-2 win.

All told, the Flames and Oilers have appeared the most, with three Heritage Classic outings each. The Jets and Canadiens sit right behind them with two apiece.

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