The Belleville Senators, AHL affiliate of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, and the Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens) will begin play in the one-time-only division when they meet Friday at Montreal's Bell Centre.
The Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets) open their season in Winnipeg on Feb. 15, and the Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames) host Toronto at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Feb. 21.
Stockton temporarily relocated from California to Calgary for the 2021 season.
The Marlies and Senators are playing all their February games on the road as the Ontario government has not yet approved plans for them to play at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.