Schedule / Matchup Preview

Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview @ Panthers · TUE · APR 6 · 6:15 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
TUE · APR 6 · 6:15 PM CT
Amerant Bank Arena
SCRIPPS
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens
1–0–1
@
Florida Panthers
Panthers
1–0–1
Upcoming
TUE · APR 6 · 6:15 PM CT
SCRIPPS
Montreal Canadiens
Away · Canadiens
1–0–1
3 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Lane Hutson has quietly owned this matchup, 7 points in the last 4 meetings. But Jacob Markstrom has Mike Matheson figured out, 16 shots without a goal.
Amerant Bank Arena
Florida Panthers
Home · Panthers
1–0–1
3 PTS
Canadiens
GOALIES
Panthers
Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes
Expected
.862 SV% · 4.04 GAA · 1W
.882 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Jacob Markstrom
Jacob Markstrom
Likely · 594-jacob-markstrom
.1000 SV% · — GAA · 1W
.899 SV% L5 · Cooling
Canadiens
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Panthers
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L1
Brady Tkachuk · Lars Eller · Sam Reinhart
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L2
Carter Verhaeghe · Sam Bennett · Matthew Tkachuk
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L3
Eetu Luostarinen · Anton Lundell · Sandis Vilmanis
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
L4
Bokondji Imama · Sam Lafferty · Garnet Hathaway
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D1
Gustav Forsling · Aaron Ekblad
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D2
Niko Mikkola · Seth Jones
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
D3
Dmitry Kulikov · Radko Gudas
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP1
Brady Tkachuk · Sam Bennett · Sam Reinhart · Seth Jones · Matthew Tkachuk
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PP2
Lars Eller · Anton Lundell · Carter Verhaeghe · Aaron Ekblad · Gustav Forsling
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK1
Lars Eller · Sam Reinhart · Gustav Forsling · Aaron Ekblad
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
PK2
Anton Lundell · Eetu Luostarinen · Niko Mikkola · Radko Gudas
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
PanthersProjected lines
L1
Brady Tkachuk · Lars Eller · Sam Reinhart
L2
Carter Verhaeghe · Sam Bennett · Matthew Tkachuk
L3
Eetu Luostarinen · Anton Lundell · Sandis Vilmanis
L4
Bokondji Imama · Sam Lafferty · Garnet Hathaway
D1
Gustav Forsling · Aaron Ekblad
D2
Niko Mikkola · Seth Jones
D3
Dmitry Kulikov · Radko Gudas
PP1
Brady Tkachuk · Sam Bennett · Sam Reinhart · Seth Jones · Matthew Tkachuk
PP2
Lars Eller · Anton Lundell · Carter Verhaeghe · Aaron Ekblad · Gustav Forsling
PK1
Lars Eller · Sam Reinhart · Gustav Forsling · Aaron Ekblad
PK2
Anton Lundell · Eetu Luostarinen · Niko Mikkola · Radko Gudas
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Jameson Olive · Oct 3 · 4:26 PM CT
Canadiens
INJURY REPORT
Panthers
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Gustav Forsling
DAY-TO-DAY · Upper body
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Aleksander Barkov
IR · Left knee · Expected back Oct 27
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Brad Marchand
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 25
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
MacKenzie Entwistle
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
Jonah Gadjovich
IR · Upper body (surgery) · Expected back Oct 17
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
PanthersInjury report
Gustav Forsling
DAY-TO-DAY · Upper body
Aleksander Barkov
IR · Left knee · Expected back Oct 27
Brad Marchand
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 25
MacKenzie Entwistle
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Jonah Gadjovich
IR · Upper body (surgery) · Expected back Oct 17
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Jameson Olive · Oct 3 · 4:26 PM CT
STORYLINE
The Canadiens lost their last game in overtime and are 1-0-1 in their first 2 games. The Panthers lost their last game in overtime and are 1-0-1 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Lane Hutson has quietly owned this matchup, 7 points in the last 4 meetings. But Jacob Markstrom has Mike Matheson figured out, 16 shots without a goal.

Florida has struggled to beat Jakub Dobes: .955 on 67 shots. A milestone is in reach for Chris Kreider: 3 more goals for 700 career goals.

The numbers behind it
Player
Lane Hutson has 7 points in his last 4 games against Florida. See the games →
(Montreal)
7 pts, last 4 vs FLA
Player
Nick Suzuki has 6 points in his last 4 games against Florida. See the games →
(Montreal)
6 pts, last 4 vs FLA
Goaltending
Jakub Dobes has a .955 save % against Florida (67 shots).
.955 SV% vs FLA
Matchup
Mike Matheson has 16 shots on Jacob Markstrom without a goal.
(Montreal)
0/16 vs Jacob Markstrom
Milestone
Chris Kreider is 3 goals shy of 700 career goals.
697 career goals
Milestone
Dmitry Kulikov is 3 goals shy of 100 career goals.
97 career goals