hockey is back

Canada is so excited hockey is back and it feels like Christmas morning

Hockey is back, baby! After the NHL shut down operations in March due to the pandemic, the 2019-2020 season will officially kick off again this evening, with three exhibition games taking place.

The games are as follows:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers (4 p.m. ET)
  • Toronto Maple Leafs vs the Montreal Canadiens (8 p.m. ET) 
  • Edmonton Oilers vs the Calgary Flames (10:30 p.m. ET)

And as you might expect, Canadians are being totally low key and are not even a little bit excited about it.

Yeah, it's just your run-of-the-mill, casual, Tuesday in Canada. Absolutely nothing to see here.

Out west, Calgary and Edmonton residents are being totally chill and are definitely not already starting an online feud as they gear up for the Battle of Alberta this evening.

"Knowing the Flames will make Alberta proud in the Battle of Alberta," one person wrote. "Booooo Oilers."

And in Toronto, people are definitely not putting on their Leafs merchandise and preparing to shout loudly at their televisions for a good few hours.

"Tonight's the first Toronto Maple Leafs game," one Ontario resident wrote. "So of course I painted my nails Blue and White."

In all seriousness, many Canadians are ecstatic that hockey is back. Even Alberta premier Jason Kenney gave the Battle of Alberta a shout-out, saying that there's nothing like an Edmonton vs Calgary match to get "hockey fired up again."

Grab your beer and the TV remote, Canada. It's almost time.

Lead photo by

Toronto Maple Leafs


Latest Videos



Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports

NHL might have an all Canadian division next year due to border restrictions

Avril Lavigne surprises NFL player who was singing her song while training

Steve Nash is the second Canadian to be named head coach of an NBA team

Golf course straddling the Canada-U.S. border won't let members cross over

NHL just postponed all of the playoff games tonight

Fans and players condemn NHL for going ahead with games while other leagues boycott

NHL says players have no plans to boycott games and nobody is surprised

How systemic racism shaped the history of Canada's swimming pools