Brossard, QC — With training camp officially in the rearview mirror, the Montreal Canadiens returned to the ice Monday at the CN Sports Complex to begin preparations for their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The practice session came just one day after the club finalized key roster decisions, assigning three players to Laval and placing two others on waivers. Monday’s skate offered the clearest glimpse yet of head coach Martin St-Louis’s projected lineup for opening night.
Among the forward lines, the top trio featured Cole Caufield (13), captain Nick Suzuki (14), and Juraj Slafkovsky (20), signaling a strong offensive push. Supporting lines included Bolduc (76), Dach (77), Gallagher (11), Anderson (17), Evans (71), Laine (92), Newhook (15), Kapanen (91), and Demidov (93), showcasing a mix of speed, grit, and scoring potential.
On defense, the pairings included Matheson (8) with Dobson (53), Guhle (21) with Hutson (48), and a rotation among Xhekaj (72), Struble (47), and Carrier (45), indicating flexibility and depth on the blue line.
Goaltending duties were split between Montembeault (35) and Dobes (75), with Joe Veleno participating in the skate but notably absent from line drills.
The Canadiens will hold one final practice on Tuesday before heading to Toronto, where they’ll face the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. The matchup marks the beginning of a new campaign, with fans eager to see how this revamped lineup performs under the spotlight.