Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens kick off their schedule after going winless in preseason action. Conversely, the Leafs finished atop the preseason Atlantic Division standings with a 5-2-0 record and 10 points, including a pair of wins over Montreal by a combined score of 8-1.
Amid plenty of fluctuations, the Maple Leafs have improved to -267 road favourites after opening as a -245 bet, and are backed by 85% of sports bettors. The total has held steady since opening at 6.5, but with the support of 75% of the betting action, the OVER has improved to -131.
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
Wednesday night’s matchup at Bell Centre marks the first of four regular season meetings between these Atlantic Division rivals. These two team’s split four games last season, with home teams emerging victorious in each. Low scoring has been commonplace, with the total topping 5.0 just five times over their past 15 dates. That has helped extend a steady run for the UNDER, which has gone 14-5-1 over the past 20. Overall, the Maple Leafs have held the upper hand in regular season matchups with Montreal, winning nine of 15. However, each of their past three wins have all come by a single goal.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs begin another NHL season in the pressure cooker after yet another first-round playoff series loss in seven games. However, with the Leafs’ talented core returning largely intact, they once again kick off their schedule near the top of the Stanley Cup odds, and +204 favourites to claim their first ever Atlantic Division crown. The offense remains in the familiar and competent hands of defending Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews and winger Mitch Marner. Matthews returns trailing only Connor McDavid as a +465 vet to repeat as MVP, while Marner aims to build on an impressive 96-point season.
The team did make a number of offseason changes, most notably in net, where question marks remain. Gone is Jack Campbell, replaced by the duo of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov. Murray is trying to rediscover his Stanley Cup form after a pair of lost seasons in Ottawa. A former first round draft pick, Samsonov is searching for redemption after allowing 12 total goals in three straight losses as Washington bowed out of the first round of last season’s playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens
Life after Carey Price officially begins for the Canadiens on Wednesday night. With Price relegated to the LTIR, and veterans like Shea Weber and Jeff Petry leaving town during the offseason, the Canadiens have embarked on a full blown rebuild. While plenty of growing pains can be expected as the veterans pass the torch to an expanding group of talented prospects, there is plenty to like about this team enter the season. Nick Suzuki makes his debut as the team’s newly anointed captain, and leads a forward group that has been bolstered by the addition of centers Kirby Dach and Sean Monahan.
But all eyes will be on this year’s first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, who will make his NHL debut on Monday as an intriguing +2334 dark horse to claim Calder Trophy honours as this season’s top rookie. The playoffs remain a distant hope for the Canadiens, who are a -106 bet to top just 72.5 points this season.
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