Schedule / Matchup Preview

Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview @ Wild · SAT · DEC 19 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 19 · 6:00 PM CT
Grand Casino Arena
MINNHL · Wild+
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens
1–0–1
@
Minnesota Wild
Wild
2–0–0
Upcoming
SAT · DEC 19 · 6:00 PM CT
MINNHL · Wild+
Montreal Canadiens
Away · Canadiens
1–0–1
3 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
The Canadiens have dropped 11 of the last 13 to Minnesota, and that history walks in with them. But the Canadiens have found Jesper Wallstedt beatable: .879 on 33 shots.
Grand Casino Arena
Minnesota Wild
Home · Wild
2–0–0
4 PTS
Canadiens
GOALIES
Wild
Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes
Expected
.862 SV% · 4.04 GAA · 1W
.882 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Jesper Wallstedt
Jesper Wallstedt
Expected
.957 SV% · 1.01 GAA · 2W
.935 SV% L5 · Locked in
Canadiens
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Wild
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L1
Blake Coleman · Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L2
Kirill Kaprizov · Danila Yurov · Maxim Shabanov
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L3
Yakov Trenin · Ryan Hartman · Bobby Brink
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
L4
Nick Foligno · Michael McCarron · Marcus Foligno
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D1
Quinn Hughes · Jared Spurgeon
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D2
Olli Maatta · Jonas Brodin
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
D3
Daemon Hunt · Zach Bogosian
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP1
Maxim Shabanov · Joel Eriksson Ek · Kirill Kaprizov · Quinn Hughes · Matt Boldy
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PP2
Blake Coleman · Danila Yurov · Ryan Hartman · Jared Spurgeon · Bobby Brink
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK1
Michael McCarron · Blake Coleman · Jonas Brodin · Jared Spurgeon
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
PK2
Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy · Olli Maatta · Zach Bogosian
CanadiensProjected lines
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
WildProjected lines
L1
Blake Coleman · Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy
L2
Kirill Kaprizov · Danila Yurov · Maxim Shabanov
L3
Yakov Trenin · Ryan Hartman · Bobby Brink
L4
Nick Foligno · Michael McCarron · Marcus Foligno
D1
Quinn Hughes · Jared Spurgeon
D2
Olli Maatta · Jonas Brodin
D3
Daemon Hunt · Zach Bogosian
PP1
Maxim Shabanov · Joel Eriksson Ek · Kirill Kaprizov · Quinn Hughes · Matt Boldy
PP2
Blake Coleman · Danila Yurov · Ryan Hartman · Jared Spurgeon · Bobby Brink
PK1
Michael McCarron · Blake Coleman · Jonas Brodin · Jared Spurgeon
PK2
Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy · Olli Maatta · Zach Bogosian
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Dylan Loucks · as of Oct 3
Canadiens
INJURY REPORT
Wild
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Brock Faber
IR · Skull (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Filip Gustavsson
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Nov 1
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
CanadiensInjury report
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
WildInjury report
Brock Faber
IR · Skull (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Filip Gustavsson
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Nov 1
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Dylan Loucks · as of Oct 3
STORYLINE
The Canadiens lost their last game in overtime and are 1-0-1 in their first 2 games. The Wild have won 2 straight and are 2-0-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

The Canadiens have dropped 11 of the last 13 to Minnesota, and that history walks in with them. But the Canadiens have found Jesper Wallstedt beatable: .879 on 33 shots.

A milestone is in reach for Chris Kreider: 3 more goals for 700 career goals. The problem is Kirill Kaprizov, who has 6 points in his last 4 against the Canadiens.

The numbers behind it
History
Montreal has lost 11 of their last 13 against Minnesota. See the games →
11-2 last 13 vs MIN
Goaltending
Jakub Dobes has struggled against Minnesota — a .857 save % on 70 shots.
.857 SV% vs MIN
Player
Kirill Kaprizov has 6 points in his last 4 games against Montreal. See the games →
(Minnesota)
6 pts, last 4 vs MTL
Goaltending
Jesper Wallstedt has struggled against Montreal — a .879 save % on 33 shots.
.879 SV% vs MTL
Milestone
Chris Kreider is 3 goals shy of 700 career goals.
697 career goals