As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of their first-round series, it’s hard not to question the NHL’s decision making when drafting the playoff schedule.
Before we go any further, it’s important to remember that leagues don’t revolve around hubs, and there are other factors to consider than just hockey. Arenas outside modern sporting settings have become money makers for their billionaire owners, with concerts providing the majority of the year’s profits. With this in mind, it is always difficult to create an ideal schedule, as there are an endless stream of variables to consider.
And yet, watching the Canadiens crowd entertain themselves after a thrilling Game 3 win, I couldn’t help but wonder how much better the atmosphere would have been on Saturday night.
Len Hutson’s Habs playoff OT winner tonight at Bell Center pic.twitter.com/VpeMujdhjQ
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 25 April 2026
On the surface, perhaps it shouldn’t matter. The Canadiens will have played two games over the weekend, Friday and Sunday, giving the Bell-Centre faithful plenty of opportunities to celebrate the youngest team in the league.
But if the NHL’s goal is to give the game more exposure to the ultimate fan experience, it would be well served by giving new fans a glimpse of the most exciting atmosphere in North America, and that event only happens on Saturday nights, in the playoffs, at the Bell Center.
Of course, this opinion is dripping in ego, as there are other arenas that offer a healthier environment, but there is a reason the Bell Center is ranked as the best rink in the league.
No other arena can match the intensity, and no other fans can maintain that level of intensity during a game of sixty minutes or more.
And given the intensity involved in each game featuring the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, the chances of having a blowout game on a national broadcast will be significantly reduced.
#NHL #missed #opportunity #due #Canadiens #playoff #scheduling
