New schedule teased
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The Ontario Hockey League has made several announcements this week about aspects of the 2026-27 schedule, which is to be released in full next Tuesday.
Preliminary announcements include home openers, Rivalry Week and a limited number of interleague games against teams from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, with two games featuring the North Bay Battalion.
North Bay is to open the season at home at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, against the Barrie Colts before a visit at 6:05 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, to the Oshawa Generals for their home opener.
The Battalion’s opponent during Rivalry Week, an early-season promotion that debuted last year, is the Sudbury Wolves. In the event, which sees paired teams play two games, one in each centre, North Bay plays host to Sudbury at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, and the Battalion goes to Sudbury for 7:05 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
Last year, the Battalion faced Barrie while Sudbury opposed the Soo Greyhounds. Barrie makes up the loss of the North Bay connection by playing the Owen Sound Attack.
An expanded interlock with the QMJHL sees the Battalion play home and away against the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Foreurs are to visit Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens on Sunday, Nov. 1, and North Bay travels to Val-d’Or on Jan. 22.
To maintain a 68-game schedule while incorporating the Val-d’Or games, the Battalion will play the Kingston Frontenacs twice instead of four times.
There are a total of eight interleague games, increased from four last season, with all counting toward results in both leagues. In repeat meetings, Sudbury opposes the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Ottawa 67’s play the Gatineau Olympiques. The other new competition has Kingston battling the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
