The Montreal Canadiens, holding a 2-3-0 preseason record, are coming off a tough 4-3 loss to the Senators on October 1st. They will be looking to bounce back in Ottawa for this preseason rematch. The Senators, 3-1-1, have shown strong form, with a 4-3 victory against Montreal in the most recent outing. Both teams aim to fine-tune rosters before the regular season begins. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

The Montreal Canadiens enter the 2024-25 season hoping to rebound from three consecutive losing campaigns, finishing last in the Atlantic Division last season with 76 points. Despite some flashes of competitiveness in the first half of 2023-24, the team collapsed after trading forward Sean Monahan, struggling to find consistent offense and defensive structure. Nick Suzuki emerged as a bright spot, posting career highs with 33 goals and 77 points, while Cole Caufield added 28 goals and 65 points.

The Canadiens will look for further development from young stars like Juraj Slafkovsky, who improved in the second half of the season after a slow start, and newly acquired forward Patrik Laine, hoping for a fresh start after his struggles in Columbus. Defensively, Montreal's blueline was often porous, giving up five or more goals in 22 games last season. Mike Matheson, despite his defensive flaws, continues to be an offensive catalyst, and fan-favorite Arber Xhekaj brings toughness and reliability to the third pair. In net, Sam Montembeault enters the season as the starting goaltender after a decent showing last year, while Cayden Primeau will serve as his backup.

The Ottawa Senators head into the 2024-25 season with high hopes, having added 2023 Vezina winner Linus Ullmark in goal and bolstering forward depth with veterans like David Perron. However, last season was a disappointment, as the team regressed despite adding defenseman Jakob Chychrun and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Ottawa finished with 78 points and missed the playoffs once again, leading to the departures of head coach D.J. Smith and GM Pierre Dorion. Under new head coach Travis Green, the Sens aim to finally end a long postseason drought.

Offensively, the Senators are led by captain Brady Tkachuk, who posted 37 goals and 74 points last season, and Tim Stützle, who looks to bounce back after an injury-plagued year. Stützle’s line with Tkachuk and Claude Giroux has been elite, controlling more than 58% of expected goals and scoring chances. David Perron’s arrival provides much-needed depth. With Ullmark stabilizing the crease and Jake Sanderson emerging as a shutdown defenseman, Ottawa hopes to be more competitive in a tough Atlantic Division.

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