Canadiens Open Season in Toronto With 22 Players

The Montreal Canadiens open the 2025-26 season Wednesday in Toronto — the first of four meetings — with Samuel Montembeault confirmed as the starter while Toronto is expected to start Anthony Stolarz and recent waiver pickup Samuel Blais could be highly motivated against his former team. Montreal faces a brutal early itinerary (three games in four nights to start, 16 back-to-backs and multiple 3-in-4 and 5-in-8 stretches), which coach Martin St. Louis has flagged as requiring urgency and careful preparation. The club is carrying just 22 players to preserve roster flexibility and could pursue a low-cost offensive trade before the roster freeze or, if sellers emerge, pivot toward the 2026 draft. Prospect Gavin McKenna is already shaping trade discussions around the league. St. Louis is credited with changing the team's culture, and veterans and young forwards such as Cole Caufield, Arber Xhekaj and Kirby Dach are expected to shoulder greater responsibility.