Canadiens Pre Game
Canadiens Preview: More New Lines And Pairings Versus Senators
The Montreal Canadiens are set to face the Ottawa Senators in Quebec City, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
Unlike their matchup in the same arena last preseason, the Quebec government did not pay either team to attend this particular game.
There are still some decisions left to be made, but Montreal’s roster is relatively close to what we’re expecting once the regular-season opens on October 8.
The top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky will not make the trip, which leaves Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, and veteran Brendan Gallagher as the top trio. Alex Newhook will take over Oliver Kapanen’s centre duties, with Ivan Demidov serving as the third member of the line. Jake Evans is set to play with Florian Xhekaj and Josh Anderson on the third line, while Owen Beck will anchor the fourth line between Joe Veleno and Patrik Laine.
Interestingly, Arber Xhekaj is set to play alongside Lane Hutson, a little insurance in case the match-up turns ugly, which is almost always the case when these two rivals meet.
Jakub Dobes will serve as Montreal’s starter, and he’s expected to play the entire game unless things go terribly wrong.
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As for the Senators, they’re sending a lineup that lacks high-end talent, especially among the forwards. It’s worth noting the teams will also face each other in the final preseason game, set for Saturday, October 4.
Of course, the discrepancy in lineup talent does not guarantee a win, evidenced by the recent home-and-away games versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs blew the Habs out of the water with their C team on Thursday, while the Canadiens’ rookies stole the show on Saturday versus a strong Toronto lineup.
Such is life in preseason hockey.
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 |
Ottawa Senators Projected Lineup
Perron – Cozens – Zetterlund
Cousins – Pinto – Amadio
Lycksell – Halliday – Kaliyev
MacEwen – Jenik – Hodgson
Sanderson – Zub
Chabot – Yakemchuk
Kleven – Jensen
Merilainen
How to Watch The Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, September 30, 2025
The Canadiens’ preseason game versus the Senators will be aired on TSN2, TSN5, and RDS.
Once the game is over, an instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Montreal Hockey Now.
