The Montreal Canadiens (6-2-0) are set to face the Edmonton Oilers (3-3-1), with the puck drop scheduled for 9 pm ET.
The Habs are fresh off an overtime win against the Calgary Flames, a game where Martin St. Louis’ team delivered a rather pedestrian effort in regulation. Montreal controlled only 39 percent of the shots at 5v5, but secured the victory thanks to rookie Ivan Demidov’s overtime heroics and a perfect pinch by veteran defenceman Mike Matheson.
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The game also featured another solid performance from goaltender Jakub Dobes, who stopped 36 of the 37 shots sent his way to maintain his perfect record (4-0-0).
Goaltending Switch
Given that this is the second leg of back-to-back games that include travel, head coach Martin St-Louis will rely on Samuel Montembeault to guard the net versus Connor McDavid and the Oilers. As for any other potential lineup modifications, the Canadiens did not hold a practice upon arriving in Edmonton, connoting that any changes will be announced just prior to puck drop.
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Captain Nick Suzuki is in the midst of a seven-game scoring streak (1G, 10A), however, he’s yet to find his ideal form, as evidenced by his shooting percentage, which is currently running at just 6.7 percent, well below his career average of 14.4 percent. In that vein, don’t be surprised if Suzuki starts to find the back of the net with regularity during Montreal’s Western Canadian road trip.
As for the Oilers, they’re struggled out of the gate. McDavid has only scored one goal in seven games (1G, 7A), and while it may seem a little harsh to criticize a point-per-game player, such is life for one of the best hockey players on the planet. Despite the relatively slow start for McDavid, he continues to lead his team in scoring.
The Oilers have yet to receive notable offensive contributions from their defencemen. Jake Walman is the only blueliner who has scored a goal this season (one), while four players are tied for the team lead in defenceman points with two assists each.
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Unlike the Oilers, the Canadiens’ defencemen have made a strong impact early this season. Mike Matheson has two goals and three assists, while phenom Lane Hutson has one goal and five assists.
If the Canadiens manage to earn another win, they’ll sit alone atop the Eastern Conference standings, putting a fine point on their encouraging start to the year.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield — Nick Suzuki — Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
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Josh Anderson – Jake Evans – Brendan Gallagher
Zach Bolduc – Joe Veleno – Joshua Roy
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble – Lane Hutson
Arber Xhekaj – Alexandre Carrier
Samuel Montembeault
Edmonton Oilers Projected Lineup
Vasily Podkolzin – Connor McDavid – Leon Draisaitl
Andrew Mangiapane – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jack Roslovic
Matthew Savoie – Noah Philp – Trent Frediric
Isaac Howard – Adam Henrique – David Tomasek
Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse – Jake Walman
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Brett Kulak – Ty Emberson
Stuart Skinner
How To Watch
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Edmonton Oilers, Thursday, October 23, 2025, will be aired on Sportsnet West, TSN2 and RDS. An instant recap will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
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