Just to set the expectations here: last year there were previews and GDT posts until March, when they were combined in one post. I dropped the recap from the set last year, and I am sorry for those who missed it, but I'm not sorry I did it, it greatly improved my own game watching experience and let me nope right out of sections of the post-Olympic part of the season.

This is going to continue – the no recap thing, I hope I am never inclined to nope out. For now there will be separate previews and GDTs, but if it becomes clear that that should change, I will do so. These multiple posts on a gameday were originally designed to get more pageviews for ads, not to be of any service to readers.

Onto the good stuff:

Montréal Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs
07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena
Watch on: SN, TVAS

Everyone starts at zero, there are no standings, no order, no ranking.

Them

Montréal is starting the season with some injuries. Their 2C, Oliver Kapanen is not ready to play.

Training Camp 2026 via Daily Faceoff and valid per other reports.

Chris Kreider - Nick Suzuki - Cole Caufield
Juraj Slafkovsky - Alex Newhook - Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier - Phillip Danault - Kirby Dach
Zack Bolduc - Jake Evans - Josh Anderson

Mike Matheson - Noah Dobson
Lane Hutson - Alexandre Carrier
Jayden Struble - Arber Xhekaj

Jakub Dobes - starter
Sam Montembeault

Us

Well, who are these guys? What ever are their numbers? Just this one time, I will type them in.

After an optional morning skate, and as of early afternoon, it is not known if Kirill Marchenko's visa will come through in time for the game. If he cannot play, expect Bo Groulx to draw in, and I would guess either Nick Paul or Easton Cowan will move up (or possibly some of both as the game progresses).

Lines

Projected via Daily Faceoff which is not how I think it will go, but the William Nylander on the top line idea sure is popular.

Jack Roslovic 96 - Auston Matthews 34 - William Nylander 88
Gavin McKenna 92 - John Tavares 91- Kirill Marchenko 86
Easton Cowan 53 - Nick Paul 20 - Colton Sissons 15
Brandon Duhaime 24 - Teddy Blueger 73 - Zack MacEwen 19
Bo Groulx 29

Morgan Rielly 44 - Darren Raddysh 43
Jake McCabe 22 - Chris Tanev 8
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 95 - Troy Stecher 28

Sergei Bobrovsky 72 - starter
Anthony Stolarz 41

The Game

Play like that last preseason game, that's all I ask. I am totally unwilling to predict this team, I mean, I had to look up their numbers! They are some new beast altogether.

Go Leafs Go!

Game Coverage