MONTREAL – The Canadiens Skills Competition presented by RONA returns to the Bell Centre on Feb. 25, when the Habs put their hockey talents to the test in a series of on-ice trials.
Here are five reasons to make it a Sunday Funday at the arena at the end of the month.
1. Tickets for the event start at $12! We did the math, and that’s definitely cheaper than Sunday brunch – with a much higher probability of doing some Habs spotting. Skip the avocado toast for a weekend and make a reservation instead with 20,000 fellow hockey fans by clicking here. Plus, all proceeds benefit the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation, the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund, and the ALS Super Fund.
2. Talk about all-access. The glass around the rink will be removed for the event once again this year, bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite players. Everywhere except behind the nets that is – there will be no surprise black-and-blue souvenirs during the hardest shot competition. What there will be is plenty of selfies, photo ops, and fist bumps with Nick, Cole, and company.
3. See how the Habs stack up against each other... and the rest of the NHL. The 2024 NHL All-Star Game is in the books, meaning this year’s best times and scores have already been logged. Earlier this month in Toronto, Connor McDavid clocked a fastest skater lap of 13.408 seconds, Cale Makar tipped the speed radar’s sensor with a 102.56 mph hardest shot, and McDavid likewise picked off four targets in 9.158 seconds in his show of accuracy. In 2023, Johnathan Kovacevic, Mike Matheson, and Rafael Harvey-Pinard registered bests of 13.744 seconds, 100.9 mph, and 9.311 seconds in each of those categories, respectively, making for an intriguing substory to watch for.
4. Interleague play. PWHL Montreal continues to be one of the hottest tickets in town after setting a then Canadian attendance record at Place Bell at the end of January. Now, fans hoping to see the women’s stars hit the city’s biggest stage are in luck. New this year, PWHL Montreal’s top talent will be competing alongside their NHL counterparts in a selection of contests at the Bell Centre. The full list of special guests will be shared closer to the day of the event.
5. More surprises to come. Additional programming is still to be released, including the introduction of a fan-suggested skill for the Canadiens to try out. Stay tuned to find out what new event will be put to the test against the pros.
The 2024 Canadiens Skills Competition presented by RONA takes place on Sunday, Feb. 25 starting at 10:00 a.m. Tickets to the event can be purchased by clicking here.
