By CanucksBanter
October 8 2025
A pair of all-Canadian matchups will open the 2025-26 regular season in Canada on Sportsnet, starting with the 23rd all-time mutual season-opening game between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens (TOR: 13-8-1; MTL: 9-10-3) – the most among two teams in NHL history – and finishing with the eighth such contest in the latest rendition of the “Battle of Alberta” between the Oilers and Flames (EDM: 5-2-0; CGY: 2-5-0).
Montréal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs
Reigning Calder Trophy winner, Lane Hutson, sparked a Canadiens berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and did so thanks to single-season rookie franchise records for points by a defenseman (66) as well as assists by any rookie in one campaign (60). Hutson can join Paul Coffey (3) and Bobby Orr (2) as the third defenseman in League history with multiple 60-assist seasons before turning 23.
* Auston Matthews (401) enters 2025-26 within 20 goals of overtaking Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin (420) for the franchise record. His career totals began with a four-goal performance in his first-ever season-opening game (Oct. 12, 2016) and has since grown to 12 career goals in that scenario, which includes another hat trick to start 2023-24 (Oct. 11, 2023); no player in NHL history owns three career hat tricks in season-opening games (also Connor McDavid & Anze Kopitar w/ 2).
Calgary Flames Visit Edmonton Oilers
The Flames went 6-0-2 to close out 2024-25 and enter the new campaign having won each of their past three season-opening games since 2022-23. Calgary has scored at least five goals in each contest during its strings of success and can become the sixth team in NHL history to reach the mark in four consecutive season-opening contests. The Jets (4 GP from 2013-14 – 2016-17) are the only club to do so in the past 35 years.
* Connor McDavid, fresh off a new two-year contract extension, and the Oilers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past two seasons. A model of offensive consistency throughout his tenure with the Oilers and 18 points shy of 1,100 in his career (361-721—1,082 in 712 GP), McDavid can join rare company with a sixth consecutive 100-point season in 2025-26 and tie the second-longest stretch in NHL history. A ninth career 100-point campaign would also give McDavid the third most in League history, behind only Wayne Gretzky (15)and Mario Lemieux (10)
Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights usher in the season with a new offensive threat in their lineup as Marner makes his Vegas debut on the heels of his first career 100-point season. He joins a Golden Knights team that has had historic success in season-opening contests, with wins in each of their past six such contests dating to 2019-20. Overall, the club (7-1-0, .875 P%) owns the highest points percentage in League history (min. 2 GP).
The Kings will hit the road as they look for their first win of the season when they take on the new-look Golden Knights. Los Angeles went 3-1-0 against its division-rival Vegas in 2024-25, scoring at least five goals in all three of those wins – their most five-goal games against any single opponent last season. They’ll look for similar results in 2025-26 with contributions from Kopitar, who needs 14 road points to finish his career ahead of Marcel Dionne (607) for the most in franchise history.