The Montreal Canadiens will play their third pre-season game of the season at the Bell Centre on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Canadiens are looking to win their third straight game, and as we reach the half-way point of the pre-season, things continue to take shape.
Kirby Dach will make his first appearance of the pre-season at centre between Patrik Laine and Ivan Demidov, the expected second line to start the season. The Canadiens top line will also get another game together as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovský seem poised to get back into a game.
Joshua Roy will get a game with two youngsters who impressed: Filip Mešár and Vinzenz Rohrer. Florian Xhekaj will play with Jared Davidson and Luke Tuch.
On defence, Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson return for their second game. Kaiden Guhle will play with David Reinbacher as Lane Hutson gets an additional day off. The third pairing will be Ryan O’Rourke and Nate Clurman.
Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler will be the goaltenders in uniform.
For Toronto, Michael Pezzetta will play his first game against the Canadiens after signing as a free agent with the Maple Leafs this summer.
Lines at Leafs skate
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) September 25, 2025
Lorentz – Laughton – Cowan
McMann – Kampf – Maccelli
Joshua – Quillan – Lettieri
Pezzetta – Groulx – Tverberg
Mermis – Myers
Rifai – Thrun
Webber – Benning
Villeneuve
Hildeby
Peksa
This group is heading to Montreal @TSN_Sports pic.twitter.com/KZMGJJEKRs
The Canadiens will play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday before going to Quebec City to play the first of two games against the Ottawa Senators next Tuesday.
