Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Jonathan Drouin – Nick Suzuki – Josh Anderson

Tyler Toffoli – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Corey Perry

Paul Byron – Jake Evans – Artturi Lehkonen

Ben Chiarot – Shea Weber

Joel Edmundson – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Victor Mete

Jake Allen – Carey Price

Ryan Poehling, Michael Frolik, Cale Fleury, Charlie Lindgren, Alexander Romanov

Joel Armia

Game Report

After 10 games in this season, meet the two top forwards on your Montreal Canadiens: Tyler Toffoli and Josh Anderson. With two each, the pair of new additions accounted for all of the Canadiens goals with the Vancouver net was manned. It was a three-point night for Toffoli who now leads the NHL in goal scoring.

In addition to the statistics, give style points to Toffoli who beat Thatcher Demko with a wicked backhander. Toffoli and Anderson have been two of Marc Bergevin’s better  acquisitions. 

What’s more remarkable about the success of the Canadiens most prolific scoring wingers is who has been pivoting their respective lines. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki have to be given a good portion of the credit for the production of Toffoli and Anderson. It will be a very good thing if Suzuki and Kotkaniemi can take over the top two centre positions on the team.

While Bergevin deserves credit for his off-season moves, it’s fair to question how he has handled the Victor Mete file.  Scratching Brett Kulak to appease a disgruntled player is one thing — Kulak is a veteran and can more easily understand the bigger picture — but to sit Alexander Romanov (and send him to the taxi squad), for no apparent reason, must have the rookie confused while his confidence takes a hit.

It was a special night for Shea Weber who reached a milestone having played 1000 NHL career games. While many fans were reluctant to welcome Weber to Montreal, his strong play and leadership make him one of the most important trades of Marc Bergevin’s tenure.

Up Next

The Canadiens will now prepare for their first home-and-home series of the season with the Senators arriving to play at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. Then the Habs will travel to Ottawa for a matinee game on Saturday.

Plus / Minus

▲ Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, Shea Weber, Nick Suzuki, Jeff Petry, Jesperi Kotkaniemi

▼ Victor Mete, Phillip Danault, Jake Evans

Game Preview