7:07 pm
January 13

Canadiens @ Maple Leafs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Montreal Canadiens (0-0-0)

@ Toronto Maple Leafs (0-0-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Carey Price (MON): Confirmed
Frederik Andersen (TOR): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Montreal Canadiens: (+120)

Toronto Maple Leafs: (-140)

 

The Montreal Canadiens and the host Toronto Maple Leafs play their opening game Wednesday night with both teams exuding optimism about the coming season. The Canadiens have made changes that have increased expectations. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs will play a 56-game schedule in the all-Canadian division, a format created because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among his new players, Canadiens coach Claude Julien has goaltender Jake Allen, defensemen Joel Edmundson and Alexander Romanov, and forwards Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli. The Canadiens will be a bigger team than the one that upset Pittsburgh last season in the play-in round of the postseason before being eliminated by Philadelphia in the opening round. Anderson came in a trade with Columbus, which acquired Max Domi and a third-round draft choice from Montreal. Toffoli was signed to a four-year contract as a free agent from Vancouver.

Montreal’s top line will continue to be Tomas Tatar, Phil Danault and Brendan Gallagher. Shea Weber again will lead the defense teamed with Ben Chiarot, with Carey Price as the No. 1 goaltender.

The Maple Leafs also made changes and got a little older in the process, adding Joe Thornton, Zach Bogosian, Wayne Simmonds and T.J. Brodie. Jimmy Vesey, Alexander Barabanov and Mikko Lehtonen also are among the newcomers. Goaltender Aaron Dell was signed as a free agent and will join Jack Campbell in backing up Frederik Andersen. Thornton will join the first line beside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and coach Sheldon Keefe likely will have to watch his minutes. Thornton showed well in the Maple Leafs’ Blue and White intrasquad game Saturday.

During the offseason, Toronto traded Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh in a six-player deal that included the Penguins’ first-round pick (No. 15) in the 2020 draft. Toronto also traded Andreas Johnsson to New Jersey to create salary cap space.

By adding experience, the Maple Leafs will be less inclined to try to out-talent the opposition and will be more willing to play a grinding game when needed. The Leafs were eliminated last season by Columbus in the play-in round.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Toronto Maple Leafs