The Canadiens season opener gave us plenty to talk about. Montreal’s depth came up big against Toronto, Jakub Dobes looked fantastic in net, but I still wanted to see more Grade-A chances from the top six.
Montreal’s Depth Could Be Huge
One of the biggest things that stood out to me was just how comfortable Montreal looked rolling four lines. The Canadiens played big, hard and fast, and their bottom six didn’t just eat minutes — they helped win them the game.
Josh Anderson scored Montreal’s first goal and added an assist, while Zachary Bolduc scored the go-ahead goal in the second period. Alexandre Carrier also chipped in from the blue line with the eventual game-winner in the third.
That’s exactly what you want from the bottom half of your lineup. Anderson especially stood out to me. He was using his size, getting involved physically and going to the areas where he needed to go. His goal wasn’t pretty, but that’s exactly the type of goal you want your bottom six scoring.
This group just seemed to understand its role. Get pucks deep, forecheck hard, play physical and make Toronto work for everything. If Montreal can consistently roll four lines like this, it changes what this team can be. You aren’t asking Suzuki, Caufield and the rest of the stars to carry you every single night.
Obviously, it’s one game, and I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but this bottom six could be one of the better groups in the NHL if it keeps rolling like this.
The Top Six Wasn’t Enough for Me
Now for something I didn’t love. It’s only one game, so nobody needs to panic, but I wanted more from Montreal’s top six. And it wasn’t really that the shots weren’t there.
Montreal had opportunities, but for the amount of possession and chances they generated, I didn’t feel like enough of them were true Grade A scoring chances. There were shots, there was offensive-zone time and there were some good looks, but not enough moments where I thought the goalie had to absolutely rob somebody.
Juraj Slafkovsky had one of Montreal’s best opportunities when he rang a shot off the post on the power play in the third period.
That’s really my issue. I want to see this top six get inside more. Get traffic in front, attack the middle of the ice and create those chances where the goalie has to make an incredible save. Use that speed that we saw all last season!
And unlike Toronto, which has a pile of new players trying to figure each other out, Montreal has some established chemistry within this group. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky know each other and know how this team wants to play. There is way too much talent here for me to be worried after Game 1. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are going to produce, and Montreal has plenty of skill around them.
I just want to see more quality with those chances. It’s not about throwing another five or 10 shots at the net just for the sake of having a bigger number on the shot clock. I want to see Montreal’s best players creating chances where you wonder, “How did that not go in?”
No need to panic at all.
But after Game 1, I expected a little more from Montreal’s big guns.
Jakub Dobes ….. Wow
This might have been my biggest takeaway. Jakub Dobes looked very, very sharp.
Toronto came out flying and William Nylander scored just 48 seconds into the game. Instead of letting that snowball, Dobes settled down and gave Montreal a chance to find its game. Dobes finished with 26 saves on 28 shots, good for a .929 save percentage.
And it wasn’t just the number of saves. It was when he made them. He made some big saves in big moments and looked calm when Toronto was putting pressure on Montreal. Early in the second, with the game still tied 1-1, Dobes made a glove save on a Kirill Marchenko one-timer. Montreal took the lead less than five minutes later.
Even the two goals he allowed were tough ones. Nylander made a great play 48 seconds into the game for the first and then finished a give-and-go with Easton Cowan late in the third for his second.
For me, Dobes looked a lot like the goalie we saw during Montreal’s playoff run. Confident, composed and capable of making the big save when his team needed it. And if he can play anywhere close to this level for most of the season? Look out.
Montreal already has a young, talented roster. If Dobes can give them this type of goaltending consistently, this becomes a much more dangerous hockey team.
Final Thoughts
It’s Game 1. Just like I said with Toronto, let’s not lose our minds after one night. But there were some really encouraging signs for Montreal. The depth showed up. The bottom six produced. The Canadiens played big, hard and fast, and Dobes was excellent when they needed him. The top six wasn’t bad, but I want more. Not necessarily more shots — better chances. Get inside, make the goalie work and turn some of that possession into Grade-A opportunities.
And that’s almost encouraging in itself. Montreal found a way to beat Toronto without its biggest offensive names having to carry the scoring. If the stars start rolling and Montreal continues getting this kind of production from the rest of the lineup, there could be a lot to like about this Canadiens team.
One game down. Now let’s see if they can build on it.
