Guhle played 23:09 time-on-ice in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings but suffered a lower-body injury at some point. The 22-year-old defenseman has had a strong start to the 2024-25 season, tallying four points (1G / 3A), 20 blocks, seven hits, and a +4 plus/minus rating in five games.

The Canadiens will turn to Montembeault in the crease for the third straight time and the fourth time in five games to start the season. Montembeault will attempt to erase his previous effort from his memory when he allowed five goals on 30 shots (.833 SV%) in a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, his first loss of the season. The Canadiens enter action on Thursday as +120 home underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team that lost 6-2 last night to the Toronto Maple Leafs and has allowed an absurd 14 goals in their last two games (0-1-1).

Struble missed the first four games of the season due to an upper-body injury but is ready to return the lineup. The 23-year-old defenseman was impressive in his inaugural NHL season, tallying 10 points (3G / 7A), 53 blocks, and 121 hits while averaging 16:07 time-on-ice in 56 games.

Montembeault has been a pleasant surprise for the Canadiens early in the 2023-24 campaign and will start for the third time in their first four games on Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 28-year-old Montembeault has stopped 72 of 73 shots faced this season (.986 SV%) in his first two contests (2-0-0). That said, the Canadiens enter action as +124 home underdogs against the Penguins.

Montembeault stopped all 48 shots that he faced in Canadiens' shutout win over the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. It was an outstanding start to the season for Montembeault, who was fourth in the NHL in QualityStart% (70.0%) a season ago. Tonight, he'll face the Senators as +139 home underdogs.

Montembeault stopped all 48 shots that he faced in Canadiens' shutout win over the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. It was an outstanding start to the season for Montembeault, who was fourth in the NHL in QualityStart% (70.0%) a season ago. Tonight, he'll face the Senators as +139 home underdogs.

The Avalanche have added some depth to their goaltending position behind Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen by claiming Kahkonen from the Winnipeg Jets. Kahkonen had a poor 2023-24 campaign split between the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils, posting a 3.64 GAA and .898 SV%, but could get an opportunity at the crease in Colorado if Georgiev and Annunen are unable to provide consistent efforts.

Emil Heineman will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Kapanen to make his NHL debut. Kapanen was the second-round pick (64 overall) of the Canadiens in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old spent last season with KalPa Kuopio (SM-liiga), where he scored 34 points (14G / 20A) in 51 games.

The Canadiens will turn to Montembeault in the crease in their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. After an impressive 2023-24 campaign for a defensively porous Canadiens club, Montembeault is expected to have a heavy workload as the starting netminder this season. In 41 games last season (16-15-9), Montembeault was solid, posting a 3.14 GAA and .903 SV%. That said, he struggled mightily against the Maple Leafs last season, posting an ugly 4.90 GAA and .821 SV% in two contests (0-2-0).

Struble will not play in the Canadiens' season opener on Wednesday due to a upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. The 23-year-old defenseman was impressive in his inaugural NHL season, tallying 10 points (3G / 7A), 53 blocks, and 121 hits while averaging 16:07 time-on-ice in 56 games.

Montreal was given some semi-good news on Tuesday when it was announced Patrik Laine was only expected to miss two to three months with a sprained left knee from a hit endured by Toronto's Cedric Pare. The 26-year-old winger was acquired from Columbus in late August for a 2026 2nd-round pick and Jordan Harris after he put up six goals, nine points, and 41 SOG in 18 games in 2023-24.

Reinbacher suffered a knee injury in the Canadiens' preseason game vs. the Maple Leafs and is expected to be sidelined until at least early-March. This is a tough blow in a big developmental year for the 2023 No.5 overall pick. The 19-year-old blueliner appeared in 11 AHL games a season ago, scoring two goals with three assists.

Laine's well-documented time in Columbus has come to an end after he was traded to Montreal alongside a 2026 3rd-round pick for Jordan Harris. The 26-year-old only appeared in 18 games in 2023-24 after a clavicle injury and trip to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program took his season from him. The 26-year-old has not surpassed 60 points since 2019-20 and is far from his 19-year-old self who had 44 goals and 70 points in 82 games played. He is expected to join Montreal's top-six for the start of the 2024-25 season.

Guhle was set to become an RFA at the end of the 2024-25 season, but gets an extension done early and is now signed through the 2030-31 season. The 22-year-old defenseman was selected No.16 overall in 2020 and essentially skipped the AHL after spending four seasons in the WHL. Most recently, he had 22 points (6G / 16A) in 70 games while ranking second among Canadiens' blueliners in TOI/gm (20:51).

Montreal locked up their designated "tough guy" on Tuesday after they signed Arber Xhekah to a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension ($1,300,000 AAV). The undrafted 23-year-old is entering his third NHL season after putting up three goals and 10 points in 44 games played in 2023-24. In 95 career NHL games played, he has 182 PIMs.

Laine entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in December 2023 and has been officially released on Friday which is expected to expedite his trade request from earlier this summer. The 26-year-old former 2nd overall pick has not appeared in more than 56 games since 2019-20 and had only six goals, nine points and 41 SOG in 18 gmaes played in 2023-24.

Veleno has served primarily as a bottom-6 centre for the Red Wings over the last three seasons. 2023-24 was his best offensive season to date, scoring 12 goals with 16 assists (28 points) in 80 games. Expect Veleno to continue operating in a similar role in 2024-25.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) added a depth piece on Tuesday after Pittsburgh signed Nathan Clurman to a one-year contract worth $775,000. The 26-year-old has yet to make an NHL appearance but has spent the last three and a half seasons between Colorado's AHL and ECHL teams.

Nashville locked up one of its RFAs on Monday after it signed Alexandre Carrier to a three-year deal worth $11.25 million ($3.75M AAV). The 27-year-old just completed his sixth season in Nashville and had four goals, 20 points, 44 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus in 73 games played in 2023-24.