The Montreal Canadiens head into their meeting with the Detroit Red Wings looking like a team that needs a clean night more than anything else. They opened the season well against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the last stretch has been a mess, and the results have piled up quickly.
Against the Penguins, Montreal managed to claw back to overtime and earned credit for digging out of a four-goal hole. Even so, giving up that kind of damage in the first place is a problem. Since then, the Canadiens have kept leaking goals, falling 6-4 to the Hurricanes and then allowing five against the Nashville Predators, including two empty-netters.
Detroit brings its own baggage into the game at 1-3, and the Canadiens have a real chance to reset. Here are three names worth keeping an eye on.
Jakub Dobes is the obvious one in goal. He started the first three games of the season before Jacob Fowler got the nod against Nashville, and the expectation is that Dobes will be back in net against the Red Wings. That makes this a prime chance for him to turn the page after a rough opening.
Through three appearances, Dobes is 1-1-1 with a 4.43 goals against average and a .856 save percentage. MoneyPuck has him at -4.0 in goals saved above expected, which puts him fourth-worst in the league in that category so far this season.
There is reason for optimism, though. Dobes has handled Detroit well in his career, posting a .948 save percentage and a 1.52 goals against average against the Red Wings. This is the kind of matchup that can help a young goalie settle in fast.
Mike Matheson is another player with something to prove after Thursday night. He took a penalty late in the third period against Nashville, and the Predators cashed in on the power play for what ended up as the game-winner. It was the kind of sequence that can define an off night, and that seemed to be the story for Matheson overall.
The Canadiens also made a defensive change on Thursday by pairing Noah Dobson with Lane Hutson, while Matheson skated alongside Alexandre Carrier. It will be worth watching whether Montreal keeps that look or slides Dobson back with Matheson.
Then there is Cole Caufield, the player who can change the temperature of the building in a hurry. When a team needs a lift, he is the kind of scorer who can deliver it. Caufield already had one of those Saturday-night moments this season, scoring twice in the comeback against the Penguins.
Still, he has only those two goals on the year, and over the last two games he has a minus-1 rating with seven shots on goal. Against a Detroit team that is averaging just 2.50 goals per game and sits near the bottom of the league in scoring, Caufield has a real opening to take over. If he puts in a couple, that may be enough to send Montreal home with the win.
In Other News...
Adam Engstrom Just Gave Canadiens A Tough Blue Line Decision
Adam Engstroms season debut for Montreal came in a 5-2 loss to Nashville, but the rookie defenseman still gave the Canadiens something to think about on a night when their blue line was under the microscope. He skated just under 12 minutes and was not on the ice for any goals against, and his work helped steady a third pairing that had looked shakier in previous games.
Engstrom also stood out in a quieter way by leading Montreal defensemen in turnovers, though none of them turned into dangerous chances for the Predators. For a team trying to sort out its back end, that kind of performance makes the next lineup decision a little more interesting, especially if the Canadiens are looking for signs that a young defender can handle more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Telling Blue Line Decision After Struble Trade
Montreals trade of Jayden Struble looks less like a simple subtraction and more like a sign of where the blue line is headed. The Canadiens still have six defensemen on the roster, but management clearly treated the move as strategic, with defensive reinforcements expected to follow rather than leaving the group thin for long.
The next step is what makes the situation worth watching. Kaiden Guhle is nearing a return, which could handle the open spot right away, while David Reinbacher remains the other major internal option if the club decides it needs a seventh defenseman. For a team trying to balance present needs with longer-term planning, the answer will say plenty about how the Canadiens see their depth chart right now. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Delicate Dylan Larkin Test At Bell Centre
The Bell Centre crowd has a way of turning routine visits into something a little more complicated, and Dylan Larkins next trip to Montreal is already carrying an extra layer of intrigue. The Red Wings captain is off to a steady start with two points in two games this season, and with an $8.7 million cap hit, he remains the kind of player who draws attention wherever he goes.
What makes this one stand out is the backdrop around his arrival, which has turned the Canadiens home date into more than just another test on the schedule. TVA Sports reporter Anthony Martineau noted the growing conversation around how Larkin might be received in Canada, and whether the atmosphere inside the building could end up mattering beyond one night at the rink. [Read more 🡒]