Canadiens Pre Game
Canadiens Preview And Lines: St-Louis Sticks With Montembeault
The Montreal Canadiens (24-19-4) are set to face the Detroit Red Wings (21-21-5) on Thursday night, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
While the Red Wings were expected to take a big step forward this season, the Habs were more of a mixed bag. With young players in place, individual growth usually leads to improvements from a team-wide standpoint, but every lineup can use a little help.
That’s why Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes decided to pull the trigger on what has become one of the best trades of his tenure, sending defenceman Justin Barron to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Alexandre Carrier.
Carrier has provided the exact stabilizing presence the team desperately needed, and while he and Kaiden Guhle have looked great as the second pairing, the first pairing has actually produced the best underlying numbers since Carrier’s arrival.
Both Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson have found a new gear in recent games, with Hutson quickly becoming one of the most dominant defencemen in the entire NHL from an offensive standpoint. As for Matheson, his ability to play on the right side of the ice has surely made life easier on both Hutson and head coach Martin St-Louis.
ON TOPIC: How The Alex Carrier Trade Improved Lane Hutson Stats On Top Pairing
The Canadiens will turn to their veteran on Thursday, giving Samuel Montembeault yet another opportunity to cement his place as the team’s starter. Montembeault stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced on Tuesday night, playing the hero as the Canadiens completed yet another come-from-behind win.
You won’t see Owen Beck against the Red Wings, as the 20-year-old forward was return to the Laval Rocket (AHL). Beck received minimal ice time during his two games with the Habs, but his underlying numbers suggest a long-term audition is in order. With Beck back in the AHL, Michael Pezzetta is expected to return to the lineup.
If you’re looking for the view from the other side of the rink, make sure to visit our sister site, Detroit Hockey Now.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Caufield | Nick Suzuki | Juraj Slafkovsky |
| Alex Newhook | Oliver Kapanen | Ivan Demidov |
| Zachary Bolduc | Owen Beck | Owen Beck |
| Josh Anderson | Jake Evans | Brendan Gallagher |
| Mike Matheson | Noah Dobson |
| Jayden Struble | Lane Hutson |
| Arber Xhekaj | Alex Carrier |
| Samuel Montembeault |
| Jakub Dobes |
Detroit Red Wings Projected Lineup
Larkin – Kasper – Raymond
DeBrincat – Copp – Kane
Tarasenko – Compher – Berggren
Soberblom – Rasmussen – Fischier
Chiarot – Seider
Edvinsson – Johansson
Gustafsson – Holl
Lyon
How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings, Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Game 48 of the regular season will be aired on TSN2 and RDS. Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.
