TEAM COMPARISONS
Despite a solid effort, the Canadiens dropped a 5-2 decision against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. Oliver Kapanen scored his first NHL goal, while Zachary Bolduc netted his first as a Hab in the loss. Samuel Montembeault stopped 22 shots. Martin St-Louis' men will continue their season-opening road trip against two more Original Six teams in Detroit tonight and Chicago on Saturday, before playing in front of their own fans on October 14 against the Seattle Kraken.
Heading into the 2025-26 campaign with a 5-3 preseason record, Detroit will open its centennial season with a 23-man roster featuring a few new faces and a healthy dose of youthful energy. While rookies Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka are likely to make their NHL debuts tonight, veteran netminder John Gibson – acquired in the offseason – has been confirmed as the starter against the Canadiens.
Todd McLellan’s squad was in the thick of the Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference last season, finishing five points behind Montreal. With a mix of seasoned veterans, including Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane and captain Dylan Larkin, and talented young players in Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, the Red Wings should be even more competitive this season.
LINEUP NEWS
The Canadiens are not scheduled for a morning skate on Thursday. For the full official lineup, check back on the team’s social accounts closer to puck drop.
