The Montreal Canadiens will play their first game of the 2025-26 pre-season tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and we will get our first look at Noah Dobson in a Canadiens uniform.
Projected Canadiens lineup/lines for their first preseason game against the Penguins tonight: Laine-Kapanen-Demidov Anderson-Evans-Gallagher Farrell-Beck-Mešár Davidson-Belzile-Condotta Matheson-Dobson Struble-Engström Del Gaizo-Clurman Montembeault Fowler
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He will be paired with Mike Matheson, but there’s something very interesting brewing on the expected top line for Monday’s game. Patrik Laine and Ivan Demidov will have Oliver Kapanen was a centre. Now, this could simply be a chance to ease Kirby Dach into a game later in the pre-season, but it’s also a huge opportunity for Kapanen as he battles to make the team out of camp.
Kapanen and Demidov played together at the team’s rookie camp, and have some established chemistry together. They will be joined by Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher, and Josh Anderson among expected NHL lines.
Sean Farrell, Owen Beck, and Filip Mešár will get a look as a line together, in what could be a potential top line for the Laval Rocket.
On defence, Jayden Struble and Adam Engström get a look as the team’s second pairing. Both are in a battle for the third pairing and could be a pairing called upon should anyone get hurt throughout the season.
The goaltenders will be Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler. If Fowler takes part, it will be his first official NHL pre-season game.
For Pittsburgh, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard will play against his former team as he tries to vie for an NHL roster spot after signing with the Penguins this off-season.
The other half of the team will play against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night, also at the Bell Centre.
