Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: Game Preview, Start Time, Tale of the Tape and How to Watch

Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

like watching

Start time: 7:00 p.m. EDT / 4:00 p.m. PDT
In Canada: Sportsnet (English)TVA Sport (French)
Stream: ESPN+, Sportsnet now

Our story begins on July 7, 2021 with the end of a fairy tale.

Although they missed the last hurdle, an unforeseen trip to the Stanley Cup Finals had provided a much-needed balm for the ailing Montreal Canadiens fans. But this was the culmination of ten years of progress and setbacks, the flickering embers of a generation. And while no one could say for sure at the time, that era came to an end as Carey Price and Shea Weber slowly slid off the ice at Amalie Arena that night.

With hindsight, the Canadians entered the 2021/22 season as a hollow shell. The big company’s old guard hadn’t recovered from their spending — and some never would. Other key players went to greener pastures or were deemed non-essential. The reinforcements lacked cohesion and tried in vain to fill roles for which they were ill-suited.

The result was earthquake-like, historic. From the Stanley Cup final to eight wins in the first half of the season. From hope to despair, from joy to anger, in the blink of an eye.

Il faut que ça change. And it did.

Marc Bergevin and Dominque Ducharme out, Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis in.

The changes didn’t end there: Tyler Toffoli, Ben Chiarot, Artturi Lehkonen, and Brett Kulak all up until the close. Jeff Petry, Alexander Romanov, Ryan Poehling and Shea Weber all left during the offseason. In their place, Canadiens fans hope, are hints of future glory: Kirby Dach, Emil Heineman, Filip Mešar, Owen Beck, Justin Barron and Juraj Slafkovský.

The confrontation with the Canadians at the start of the 2022-23 season will be their polar opposites. The Toronto Maple Leafs are more or less deadlocked. They will ride or die up front with their big four: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. The blue line also remains relatively intact; Morgan Rielly, TJ Brodie, Jake Muzzin and Marc Giordano all return for another attempt at the first hurdle.

With the core established, general manager Kyle Dubas worked largely on the fringes, which at Toronto includes the goaltender position. Jack Campbell has fought his way out of Toronto, so Dubas is hoping either Matt Murray can regain his playoff form or Ilya Samsonov can finally fulfill his potential. In addition, Rasmus Sandin will be looking to play his way up the pairings, Michael Bunting knocks on wood that year two curses only apply to players under 27 and Nick Robertson is hoping year three will be the appeal if it does It’s about being “the next big thing.”

For the Leafs, these next 82 games are a preamble to what will make or break their campaign. They will be judged solely on their ability to get four wins between Games 83 and 89. Dubas has already played four of his lives and is highly unlikely to win the full nine.

“Renewal” is the word of the hour for Canadians.

There’s a new captain, Nick Suzuki. Next to him is Cole Caufield, now firmly established as the future pillar of the club. With Joel Edmundson out, Mike Matheson will lead the rear guard early in the season.

But no one thinks the changing of the guard is over yet.

There will be more roster moves, more draft picks, and more prospects. It will continue to be tweaked and adjusted, strategically shifted and adjusted. There might even be a renunciation movement or two.

Therefore, the club will not be measured by the results of the next 82 games. There will likely be more casualties, at least for 2022-23. But Habs fans hope – and expect – that this loss will bring future rewards, that it will be part of a long-term vision and not the result of a lack of it.

While the team as a whole may lack expectations, management and the coaching staff are looking for signs of individual development as well as opportunities to strengthen the squad’s foundation. Therefore, every single player is still auditioning for something:

The remnants of the old guard must shape their place in the team’s new future, not just its past.

The short-term veterans need to prove their worth, be it for this squad or another.

The established youngsters have to show that they can move forward and become the foundation of tomorrow.

AHL graduates must seize the day because the opportunity will close sooner than they think.

The newest kids on the block need to assert their place in the NHL, or at least sow the seeds that one day they’ll climb the mountain.

So as the curtain rises on 2022-23, though the stage still contains none to rival the legends of yesteryear, this opening act could capture the imagination to see what a glorious future might hold.

Share our imperfections with your thoughts;
Divide man into a thousand parts
And make imaginary power;
When we talk about horses, think that you see them
They print their proud hooves on the receiving earth;
For your thoughts must now adorn our kings,
wear them here and there; jump over the times

Allow me to chorus this story;
Who prays prologue-like thy humble patience,
Gentle to hear, kind to judge, our game.