The Toronto Maple Leafs will kick off their 2026-27 season at Scotiabank Arena versus one of their most heated rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.
The home opener against the Habs should be no surprise. What is surprising, however, is the historic date on which the game will take place.
For the first time in NHL history, the league will start the season in September. As such, the Maple Leafs and Canadiens will drop the puck on September 29. This marks the first time in NHL history that the league gets started before the month of October.
The reasoning behind the move is simple. This season will be the first time since 1993-94 that the NHL has played an 84-game schedule. So, to accommodate the expanded schedule, the league will reduce the preseason.
It’s also worth noting that the league did not want to start the playoffs later. In particular, the NHL wants to avoid having the Stanley Cup Final extend into mid-June. That’s why the best way to avoid extending the season any longer was to cut down on the number of preseason games.
The historic home opener will be crucial for the Maple Leafs as they look to turn their fortunes around. Last season’s awful campaign will hopefully be nothing more than an aberration, as the club looks to return to the postseason.
Maple Leafs Home Opener Likely to Feature Major Debut
There’s another reason why the Maple Leafs should be excited about the September 29 home opener. That game could well be the debut of first-overall selection Gavin McKenna. The Leafs drafted the 18-year-old with the first pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Expectations are high regarding the possibility of McKenna playing right away for the Maple Leafs. While that’s almost certainly a given, the big question will be where he’ll fit into the lineup.
The consensus seems to be that McKenna would line up on the top line with captain Auston Matthews. However, Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller may want to shelter the star rookie a bit, at least at the beginning of his tenure in Toronto.
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Several Other Stars Will Debut for Toronto
McKenna won’t be the only star to debut for the Maple Leafs on September 29. Other significant offseason acquisitions, like goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, will likely hit the ice for the first time in front of the home crowd.
Along with Bobrovsky, other stars like Brandon Duhaime, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, and, of course, Darren Raddysh, will hopefully make their first official appearances for the Maple Leafs.
The expectations will certainly be high for this upcoming season’s squad. The team looks ready to get back into contention, with a solid infusion of youth from the likes of Matthew Knies, Emil Andrae, Easton Cowan, and McKenna.
The Leafs will be looking to get past last season’s Atlantic Division champs, the Buffalo Sabres, and potentially recapture the Atlantic Division crown the team claimed in 2024-25. The path won’t be easy, but there’s plenty of optimism surrounding this season’s Maple Leafs squad.
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