The Montreal Canadiens opened their preseason with exactly the kind of start they were hoping for: two wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs, a 4-1 result in Toronto followed by a 4-3 overtime victory at home.
That gave the Canadiens plenty to like across the board, but three players stood out above the rest in those first two games.
Samuel Montembeault was the cleanest story of the bunch. Montreal used four goaltenders over the two-game set, and he was the only one who didn’t give up a goal. He played roughly half the game, saw 13 shots, including two while the Canadiens were short-handed, and turned every one of them aside.
What made that line even better was the quality of the group in front of him. Montembeault was dealing with Auston Matthews, Gavin McKenna, Matthew Knies, and William Nylander, and still walked away unscathed.
For Montreal, that’s the kind of opening you want from a goalie who needs a strong start after losing not just the starting role but the backup job during last season. The Canadiens chose to keep him, and the thinking is that a hot beginning could help raise his trade value.
If he keeps playing like this, that bet could work out.
Florian Xhekaj also made a strong case for himself, and he did it in a very direct way. With a roster spot on the line, he played with an edge from the start, battling in front of the net against Auston Matthews and later dropping the gloves with Marshall Rifai. The fight even became a family viewing event, with brother Arber Xhekaj watching a Twitter video of the scrap while sitting in the penalty box and not waiting for the game to end to see it.
Florian finished with one assist and a team-high four hits. For a player chasing one of the final roster spots out of camp, that’s the kind of performance that gets attention.
Then there was Lane Hutson, who doesn’t need to fight for his place but still looked ready right away. Montreal’s top defenseman put up one goal and two assists in the 4-3 overtime win, helping seal the comeback in front of the home crowd.
The only real question with Hutson is who he’ll line up with. Noah Dobson would seem like the obvious fit, but the Canadiens also have to keep the balance of the blue line in mind. Against Toronto, Alexandre Carrier spent most of the game next to Hutson, and that pairing is one worth watching as the preseason continues.
Montreal’s next game comes Monday night at home against the Ottawa Senators, and it will be the only night this preseason that the Canadiens don’t split their squad.
In Other News...
Slafkovsky And Demidov May Be Key To Montreals Biggest Line Puzzle
The Canadiens preseason has already offered a familiar sight in the reunion of the Kid Line, with Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield back together and looking like the kind of trio Montreal can build around. The top line picture also shifted with Chris Kreider added into the mix, giving the coaching staff another forward combination to study as it sorts through what the opening-night alignment should look like.
Beneath all of that, the real puzzle may be less about the headline line and more about the pieces behind it. Montreal has been experimenting with where Ivan Demidov fits best and how that affects the rest of the forward group, while the second-line centre spot remains one of the most important decisions left before the regular season begins. For a team trying to balance talent, chemistry and depth, those next tweaks could wind up mattering just as much as the reunion everybody noticed first. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face One Big Question In Potential Blue-Line Upgrade
Alexander Nikishins uncertain status in Carolina has already turned him into one of the more intriguing names to watch as training camp opens around the league. The Hurricanes still have the rights to the big Russian defenseman, but until his contract situation is settled, he sits in that gray area where talent, timing and team need can quickly create opportunity for someone else.
For the Canadiens, the appeal is obvious enough. Montreal has been looking to add to a young blue line, and Nikishins size and offensive upside fit the kind of profile teams covet. The question is less about whether he would make sense and more about how the Canadiens would make the deal work, with cap space to clear and real assets likely required before anything could move beyond speculation. [Read more 🡒]
Kent Hughes Has One Canadiens Draft Pick Already Facing Questions
Corey Pronmans latest 2024 NHL draft redraft has given Canadiens fans another reason to revisit last years class, and the early read is a mixed one. Montreal still comes out looking good at the top, with Ivan Demidov placed near the top of the board, which is not exactly a surprise given the buzz around his upside and the attention he has drawn since draft day.
The more interesting wrinkle is what the redraft says about the rest of the group the Canadiens invested in. Michael Hage landed a touch lower than where Montreal originally selected him, a small but notable sign that evaluators may not be as sold on that pick as the organization was in June. For a front office still trying to stock the pipeline and hit on every chance it gets, those kinds of early reassessments can matter as much as the headline names. [Read more 🡒]