On Wednesday night, a couple of premier Canadian NHL teams make their 2024-25 regular season debut as the Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the Montreal Canadiens. These teams have been on very different trajectories over the past few years. Toronto is still far ahead of Montreal; while the Maple Leafs continue to try to get over the hump in the postseason, the Canadiens continue to try to get over the hump in the regular season.
With hopes high in both fanbases, it all starts Wednesday night. Here is a preview of the Atlantic division contest between two storied Canadian franchises.
- MAPLE LEAFS -1.5 (+130)
- OVER 6.5 TOTAL GOALS (-115)
- MITCH MARNER 2+ POINTS (+205)
Maple Leafs Win -1.5 (+130)
Once again, the Leafs are a deep, talented team. Without a sample size yet this season, Toronto appears to be the better team in this matchup, as the Canadiens are still a couple of pieces away. After another playoff disappointment, the Leafs brought in a few solid veteran players and a proven, veteran head coach. This was already a good team, and they got even better, so I expect this Maple Leafs team to come out looking to make a statement early.
Last season, Toronto was 3-0-0 against Montreal as part of a 6-3-1 record head-to-head in their previous 10 games dating back to 2022. Given the offseason these teams had, there is no reason to expect anything different tonight.
Game Total (Over/Under): Over 6.5 Goals (-115)
To no surprise, the Maple Leafs were one of the best offensive teams in the NHL last season. They scored the second-most goals in the league and had the 7th best power play. The Canadiens allowed the 6th most goals in the league and the 9th worst penalty kill. The identity of these teams is largely the same, which bodes well for a higher game total.
With plenty of star talent and proven offensive track records up and down the Maple Leafs lineup, they should do their part in taking the game over the total. For the Canadiens’ expected deficiencies, they have some offensive upside that should contribute to the total. The pure matchup in this one favors the over.
Mitch Marner 2+ Points (+205)
This is a big season for Mitch Marner, as it is the final season of his contract, which follows seasons of trade speculation after underwhelming playoff performances. Under a hard-nosed head coach like Craig Berube, there may be a fire lit under Marner this season.
This is already a very talented player who has averaged well over a point per game in the last 6 seasons. Marner is a productive player who plays with other productive players and now has even more incentive to produce. Look for him to come out with some jam to start the season on Wednesday.
