Training camp is underway, and the first few days have already given the Canadiens plenty to sort through. The split-squad opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs produced a sweep, but the more important story is what those preseason looks are revealing about Montreal’s roster, its lineup combinations and the early injury picture.
The clearest setback so far is on defense, where Kaiden Guhle is out for four to five weeks after a minor procedure on his adductor muscle late this summer. That leaves a hole in Montreal’s top four right as camp begins, though the team still expects him back early in the regular season.
For now, the absence opens the door for others. David Reinbacher got an elevated look early, and Lane Hutson kept building on what he showed last season by driving play in Saturday’s split-squad action against Toronto.
The blueline situation also keeps Arber Xhekaj in the conversation. He remains a useful option because of the flexibility he gives the staff, and there have even been peripheral discussions about giving him reps at forward if the defense gets crowded once Guhle returns.
Up front, Martin St. Louis is already mixing and matching.
Chris Kreider opened the preseason on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and he finished that game with a shot and two hits in 17:05 of ice time. That move pushed Juraj Slafkovský into a second-line role with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov.
Slafkovský’s growth as a play-driver gives Montreal room to spread its offense around, and Demidov remains one of the biggest storylines after his standout rookie season.
The battle for bottom-six spots is just as active. Florian Xhekaj is making a hard push for one of those openings, and his physical presence stood out in the split-squad games.
In goal, Samuel Montembeault gave Montreal a strong early showing. In his half-game against the Maple Leafs, he stopped every shot he faced.
The Canadiens now turn to a week that features three preseason games, all against the Ottawa Senators. On Monday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 PM ET, Montreal will face Ottawa at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, QC. Then on Saturday, Sept. 26, the Canadiens have a split-squad doubleheader, with one game at 7:00 PM ET at the Bell Centre in Montreal and another at the same time on the road against the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
In Other News...
Matthews Gave Leafs Fans One Reason To Exhale In Montreal
Auston Matthews gave Maple Leafs fans something to track in an otherwise rough split-squad preseason night in Montreal, where Toronto dropped both games and had to settle for smaller victories in the individual performances. Matthews looked closer to his usual self with noticeable speed and an assist, while Darren Raddysh provided the clubs lone goal and rookie Gavin McKenna flashed the sort of playmaking that can stand out even in a preseason setting.
For a Leafs team still sorting through early impressions, the point was less about the results than the signs underneath them. Matthews pace was the biggest takeaway, and McKennas creativity offered another encouraging note, even with a penalty mixed in. It was the kind of evaluative night that leaves the standings untouched but gives the coaching staff and the fan base a little more to chew on. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Fringe Forward Made An Early Statement In Montreal
Michael Pezzetta wasted little time making his presence felt in Montreal while skating with the Maple Leafs B-team. In a game featuring fringe players and prospects because Torontos main roster was elsewhere, Pezzetta dropped the gloves with Canadiens player Lucas Condotta and was ejected afterward, a flashpoint that fit the tone of a matchup built more on auditions and edge than star power.
The scuffling did not stop there, either. Shortly after Pezzettas fight, teammate Teddy Blueger also got into one in the same game, adding another layer of nastiness to a night that already had a distinctly old-school feel. For Leafs players trying to leave a mark with limited opportunities, these are the kinds of moments that can matter just as much as any shift in the offensive zone. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Hiller Saw Promise In The Leafs But One Clear Problem Too
After the Maple Leafs preseason loss to the Canadiens, Jim Hiller came away seeing both the kind of early signs a coach wants and the kind of issues that tend to linger if they are not cleaned up quickly. He pointed to Gavin McKennas good start and liked what he saw from Auston Matthews, especially his skating and the way he carried an offensive threat, which at least gave Toronto some encouraging takeaways from a game that did not go its way.
Still, Hiller sounded just as focused on the gaps as the positives, especially the teams skating without the puck, an area that can quietly decide preseason games and, later, more meaningful ones. He also addressed Sergei Bobrovskys playing-time management, another reminder that these exhibition games are about more than the final score as the Leafs sort through how their pieces fit and what needs sharpening before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]