HOME     POLLS     SEARCH

HABS FANATICS


Canadiens Set to Be Fined by Bettman and NHL Ahead of Tonight's Season Opener


PUBLICATION
Elias Edmonson
October 14, 2025  (9:43)
SHARE THIS STORY
FOLLOW US

Photo of Gary Bettman
Photo credit: NHL

There are some of Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League's rules that will never stop surprising us.

We can think of the automatic fines for rookies playing their first NHL game who take their traditional "rookie lap" without a helmet, and now, we can also think of this...

A sanction will be imposed by Gary Bettman and the NHL on Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens due to tonight's ceremony

You read that right!
Thanks in part to the beautiful tribute being held tonight at the Bell Centre for legend Ken Dryden, who sadly passed away after a battle with cancer, the game will obviously start a little later than usual.
"A couple of notes for tomorrow's Canadiens home opener:

- Get to your seats early, pre-game ceremony set to start at 6:50 due to homage planned for Ken Dryden

- The players will then be introduced on the ice, to the sound of their individually chosen songs."

- Marco D'Amico
"Here's a fun fact for you ahead of the Habs home opener.

The Canadiens game is expected to start at 7:19PM, 2 mins over the official start time and they will happily pay the 20K for doing so.

That's right. The NHL fines teams 10k for every minute they're over the start time."

- Shaun Starr
Well, for that reason, the Canadiens will be penalized by the NHL!
It's pretty wild to say that the Canadiens will be penalized by the NHL simply because the organization wants to pay a nice tribute to Ken Dryden, but still..
And if there's any "unplanned" delay, it'll be an additional $10,000 fine per extra minute of delay.
Anyway, I can't wait for tonight!
It's going to be a fantastic ceremony for the first game of the 2025-2026 season live from the Bell Centre!
More details to come.
POLL
3 HOURS AGO   |   241 ANSWERS
Canadiens Set to Be Fined by Bettman and NHL Ahead of Tonight's Season Opener

Do you believe this rule makes sense coming from the NHL?


HABSFANATICS.COM
COPYRIGHT @2025 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TERMS  -  POLICIES