The Belleville Senators will launch their inaugural season with training camp on Sept. 24 at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre. The team will continue to play in the Eastern Conference, North Division, following their move from Binghamton, NY, to Belleville, beginning with two exhibition games in Laval, Quebec, on Sat., Sept. 30 and Sun., Oct. 1. Both games will begin at 3 p.m.

Season Starts on the Road

(Courtesy Wikimedia)

Awaiting the completion of the $18.5 million renovations to Belleville’s Yardmen Arena, the Belleville Senators will begin their regular season with a nine-game road trip, first in Laval to play the debuting AHL Rocket back to back on Oct. 6 and 7. The team will play through Oct. 13 to 22, and end the trip Oct. 27 and 28 against the Manitoba Moose.

Home Opener and Homestand

Wednesday, Nov. 1 marks the long-awaited Belleville Senators’ home opener, against last season’s Eastern Conference champions, the Syracuse Crunch. It’s a night that promises to be a spectacle at the newly renovated Yardmen Arena—two years since the Belleville Bulls played their final game as part of the Ontario Hockey League at the Yardmen, losing to the Barrie Colts on April 2, 2015. The AHL Senators will begin a six-game homestand, the longest of the season, following their opener, a chance for the Belleville faithful to get a good first glimpse of professional hockey in the Quinte region.

The Belleville Senators are here. Welcome home to hockey. #WelcomeHome #itBegins pic.twitter.com/xhOdQ7p2Ky

— Belleville Senators (@BellevilleSens) July 26, 2017

Breakdown of Games

Monday: 1 games (1 home & 0 road)

Tuesday: 3 games (1 home & 2 road)

Wednesday: 14 games (10 home & 4 road)

Thursday: 1 game (1 home & 0 road)

Friday: 25 games (10 home & 15 road)

Saturday: 26 games (13 home & 13 road)

Sunday: 6 games (2 home & 4 road)

The Belleville Sens will continue the Bulls’ Wednesday night home game tradition. Following their opening run, the team will play 10 afternoon games, with just three on home ice—two on Sundays, Mar 4, and, Mar 25 and one on Family Day, Mon, Feb 19.

The Belleville Senators, Laval Rocket, and Toronto Marlies make up the new 401 corridor rivalry, with the three clubs all located within five hours’ drive of each other. The three affiliate clubs follow their respective NHL teams in their long storied rivalry with one another.  Once the regular season is underway, the three clubs will each host each other six times on home ice and play six times on the road.

Belleville Connection 

For added excitement, Bulls fans will be thrilled to know that the Belleville Senators will welcome former Belleville Bulls back to town throughout their inaugural season, providing they haven’t been called up or made their respective NHL team.

Following P.K. Subban’s illustrious career in Belleville, brothers Jordan and Malcolm Subban, fan favorites and OHL stars, will make appearances. Barring his entry onto the Vancouver Canucks roster, Jordan and the Utica Comets will play the Belleville Senators six times. Malcolm and the Providence Bruins will make their only trip to the Yardmen Arena during the holiday season, playing the Baby Senators on Dec. 30.

Niki Petti, a former first-round pick of the Belleville Bulls, 10th overall in the 2012 OHL priority selection, will make his way to Belleville more times than any other former Bulls, playing the Senators a combined 12 times with his Laval Rocket team. Former Bulls Matt Luff, Jake Marchment, Eric Tangradi, Brandon Mashinter and Remi Elie team’s will not play the Belleville Senators this season.

Niki Petti of the Belleville Bulls. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

We’re in for an exciting first season: the Baby Sens will be looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15 and in Belleville’s inaugural season.