Canadiens @ Red Wings: Start time, Tale of the Tape, & how to watch

Montreal Canadiens @ Detroit Red Wings

like watching

Start time: 7:00 p.m. EDT / 4:00 p.m. PDT
In the region of Canadians: TSN2 (English)RDS (French)
In the Red Wings region: Bally Sports Detroit
Stream: ESPN+, RDS Direct, TSN Direct

We weren’t sure what to expect from the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of the season. Many braced for a one-sided loss as a winless preseason didn’t inspire much confidence in a lineup of inexperienced blueliners and some date fodder scattered down the forward lines. The actual game was not only entertaining but also encouraging for the club’s future.

It was clear early on that some fundamental philosophies had changed compared to the previous year. The Canadians made a point of maintaining possession rather than throwing in the puck, even during line changes. An offense that previously relied on getting rebounds from point shots is now more of a creative passing game to create scoring chances. Both strategy changes require the participation of all five players on the ice and let skill dictate the game.

No one seemed happier with the change in attitude than Cole Caufield, who scored twice and was part of a handful of other chances. It was all aided by an aggressive approach by the Toronto Maple Leafs to allow for odd rushes, yet the Canadians were better prepared to capitalize on those mistakes.

Josh Anderson was also enthusiastic about the new tactic and had an excellent end to the contest. His work of running to the offensive blue line and holding a puck started a scoring game that could have been declared a winner had the Maple Leafs not countered immediately. Instead, he allowed just 19 seconds on the clock after scoring his own goal on his next shift to secure a surprise win for the home team.

Behind these offensive highlights was perhaps the most important development of the game: A defense with four rookies, two of whom were making their NHL debuts, had played a very effective game and looked more impressive than their experienced partners and those on the opposing side, they went into the season as Stanley Cup favorites. We knew the organization was home to some great defensive candidates, and they took their first steps to show what they had to offer at the NHL level.

The Detroit Red Wings know all about great young defensemen. Their lineup consists of 2022 Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider. The German blueliner finished the 2021/22 season with 50 points after all 82 games and led the team in the Ice Age at around 23 minutes per game.

A few spots behind him in Rookie of the Year voting was winger Lucas Raymond, who also played the entire list of games. Finishing only behind Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi (the latter missed several games in Canada due to his unvaccinated status) in points, he could have more in store for his second campaign.

Now that prospects are starting to take hold, general manager Steve Yzerman has signed more veterans to help them push for a playoff spot. Offseason signings included enduring centerman Andrew Copp, Stanley Cup champ St. Louis Blues forward David Perron, 2020 Calder finalist Dominik Kubalik and former Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot.

Both the Red Wings and Canadiens once again find themselves in a competitive Atlantic Division led by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Maple Leafs. They’re banking on an aging Boston Bruins lineup that has room for another team in the playoff race in the next few years, but the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabers, teams that have also been involved in rebuilds, are vying for the same spot.

Of the bottom four teams, Detroit may be the closest to regaining competitive status, and after spending about the first third of last season with the Bruins, they’ll expect to be involved in the hunt for much longer this time. It’s been six years since the Red Wings ended a 25-year streak of postseason appearances, and now they’re looking to start a new string of playoff berths.