In this article, Tonybet explores the excitement surrounding the new hockey and basketball seasons, highlighting fresh signings, Canadian stars competing abroad and the stories to follow as its latest promotion runs from October through June.
Montreal supporters know Chris Kreider well. Getting used to him as a Canadiens player may take a little longer.
His September signing brings an old opponent into the home dressing room, where his contributions will now count towards the result Montreal wants. Across the border, LeBron James has joined Philadelphia, leaving another set of supporters to adjust to a familiar player in different colours.
Moves like these lend the coming NHL and NBA campaigns much of their interest, though the players who stay put supply plenty of their own. For Canadians following Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City or Macklin Celebrini in San Jose, an attachment to an individual can make a distant club’s fortunes feel closer to home.
All of it falls within the window of Tonybet’s NHL and NBA promotion, which will run alongside both competitions from October 20, 2026 to June 30, 2027, with a monthly offer for eligible customers.
Montreal starts again with Kreider
There is no separating Kreider’s history with Montreal from his collision with Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs, but signing him gives the Canadiens the chance to write a different ending. He arrives having recorded 50 points for Anaheim last season, and behind the bench he finds Martin St. Louis, a former Rangers teammate who already knows his game.
Supporters need not settle their feelings before the first game. There will be time to watch how he fits, to appreciate a good performance and perhaps to discover that a player they once dreaded seeing has become one they are glad to have. The November 16 visit to the Rangers should bring that shift into focus, with Kreider back in familiar surroundings and Montreal hoping he helps spoil the home side’s evening.
James chases a title with a fourth franchise
In Philadelphia, James arrives with nothing to live down and a good deal to add. He took titles with Cleveland and Miami before adding another during eight seasons with the Lakers, and success with the Sixers would extend that record to a fourth franchise.
Before any of that, the Sixers have to learn how to play together. With Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey alongside him, James will not have to supply every answer, and working out when he should take control, and when Philadelphia is better served by someone else doing so, will occupy much of the early season. By the Christmas Day game against the Lakers in Los Angeles, supporters should have a clearer sense of how the pieces fit. The occasion will carry its share of memories; for the Sixers, its value will also lie in what it reveals about the team they are becoming.
Following Canada’s players elsewhere
For Gilgeous-Alexander, another season brings the pressure of repeating what he has already achieved. His second consecutive MVP award followed a regular season in which he averaged 31.1 points, and it placed him alongside Steve Nash as the only Canadians to have won the award more than once. Having set that standard, he now has to keep meeting it, and Canadian fans can enjoy watching him try, even if they would prefer an off night when he faces their own team.
Celebrini’s task, by contrast, comes down to a handful of points. He set San Jose’s franchise record with 115 last season, yet the Sharks finished four short of the playoffs, a small but consequential gap between an outstanding individual season and a more satisfying team result. This time his supporters will be watching the table as closely as his scoring, because a playoff place would give them more hockey to look forward to.
Tonybet’s NHL and NBA promotion
For fans who follow the puck in October and the ball by Christmas, Tonybet’s NHL/NBA promotion covers the whole stretch. Running from 20 October 2026 until 30 June 2027, it offers a 50% bonus of up to $350 on qualifying deposits of $30 or more, claimable once per calendar month, regardless of whether the customer participates in NHL, NBA, or both. The bonus unlocks gradually in $5 increments, each released once the customer completes $150 in qualifying turnover under the 30x wagering requirement.
Alongside the promotion, Tonybet offers more than 6,000 casino games from over 1,000 providers, plus 100+ sports with live and pre-match markets, esports included.
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