Canadiens Pre Game
Canadiens Preview & Lines: Struble Sits, Barron Will Face Trouba

The Montreal Canadiens (10-14-3) are set to host the Anaheim Ducks (10-12-2) on Monday night, with the puck drop scheduled for 7:30 pm ET.
Wins are always difficult to come by for a rebuilding team, which is why it felt like the Canadiens finally had momentum in their corner after impressive 2-1 and 3-0 victories against the New York Islanders and the Nashville Predators, respectively. Martin St-Louis’ team even held their own for two periods versus the Washington Capitals, but were undone by a lack of finish during high-danger scoring chances in the third frame.
Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made almost half a dozen breakaway saves, keeping the high-flying Capitals in the game long enough for Tom Wilson to score a pair of goals, securing a 4-2 win in the process.
The loss also put an end to Patrik Laine’s two-game scoring streak, though no fan realistically expected him to maintain his scoring pace after his blistering start. His 5v5 play has predictably been underwhelming, yet another situation that shouldn’t be shocking given the Finnish almost missed an entire calendar year before making his debut with the Canadiens. It’s also important to note that both Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky were having a hard time with even-strength play prior to Laine’s arrival. The three will need a lot of time if they’re to establish any semblance of chemistry.
Goaltender Samuel Montembeault will face the Ducks, marking his fourth-straight start. Defenceman Jayden Struble, who currently leads the blue line in a few important statistical categories, including shot share, will not be in uniform. Justin Barron will take his spot in the lineup. As a reminder, the reason Josh Anderson beat the tar out of Trouba is because he landed one of his classic headshots on Barron when the Canadiens faced the New York Rangers.
ON TOPIC: Top 3 Things To Expect With Patrik Laine In The Canadiens Lineup
The Ducks are in the same boat as the Canadiens, though it’s only fair to note that despite both teams having the same amount of points this season, Anaheim has played two fewer games than the Habs.
In a bid to solidify their blue line, the Ducks recently traded for the master headhunter Trouba. The last time the Canadiens faced the defenceman, Anderson took it upon himself to order lunch, serving Trouba a 12-piece combination during a one-sided fight. Beyond the questionable hits by Trouba, trading for an expensive defenceman who no longer makes a positive impact in the NHL is the exact type of trade the Canadiens should avoid going forward.
As for the team’s prized prospect, Leo Carlsson, things have not gone to plan during his sophomore season. The second overall pick at the 2023 NHL entry Draft has scored just six goals and five assists in 11 games, a good reminder that development is rarely linear.
The Ducks do not have a single player who has reached the 20-point mark this year, as Troy Terry currently leads the team in scoring with six goals and 13 assists in 25 games. The second-most productive player in the lineup only has 13 points to his credit. In other words, goals have been very hard to come by for the California club.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield | Nick Suzuki | Juraj Slafkovsky |
Alex Newhook | Kirby Dach | Josh Anderson |
Owen Beck | Christian Dvorak | Brendan Gallagher |
Patrik Laine | Jake Evans | Joel Armia |
Mike Matheson | Alexandre Carrier |
Lane Hutson | Logan Mailloux |
Arber Xhekaj | David Savard |
Jakub Dobes |
Samuel Montembeault |
Anaheim Ducks Projected Lineup
Vatrano – Strome – Terry
Gauthier – McTavish – Killorn
McGinn – Lundestrom – Leason
Johnston – Harkins – Colangelo
Lacombe – Trouba*
Fowler – Gudas
Dumoulin – Zellweger
Dostal
How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. The Anaheim Ducks, December 9, 2024.
Game 28 of the regular season will be aired on Amazon Prime, as well as RDS. Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.