Habs: What to watch this week in 15 key points

For night owls, the Canadiens make their first official stop in Utah on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m., against a club that is constantly improving, thanks to its talented young players. With a record of 18-17-7, they’re fighting for a playoff spot.

Québécois head coaches are becoming a rarity in the NHL, so when we get to watch a homegrown duel, we have to appreciate it. André Tourigny versus Martin St-Louis!

Since the 2022 draft, fans and pundits have been having fun comparing the development curve between third-round pick Logan Cooley and first-round pick Juraj Slafkovsky. Cooley has 36 points in 42 games this year, while Juraj has 23 in 39. Who’ll have the upper hand on Tuesday, though?

Even though the Drouin-Sergachev trade took place in 2017, fans still haven’t forgotten Mikhail Sergachev, who has been a Utah player since last summer. The Russian defenseman still takes a nasty pleasure in titillating the Habs and their fans, having scored in overtime at the Bell Centre earlier this season.

Last Saturday, the Dallas Stars beat the Habs in a shootout. This time, hostilities will take place in Texas on Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

Samuel Montembeault was on duty against Dallas on Saturday, and despite making 35 saves, he didn’t get the win. Will he get his revenge if he’s sent into the fray?

On Saturday night, the Habs host their arch-rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who sit first in the Atlantic Division with a 27-15-2 record at the time of writing. In the regular season, that’s never a problem…

The Toronto captain has been limited to just 29 games in 2024-2025, as he has been bothered daily by boo-boos. Will he be able to stay healthy for long? We know he always has success against the Canadiens, so he’ll be under the microscope.

With Auston Matthews repeatedly absent, these three have taken charge of the Leafs’ offense. It’s an advantage to have so much talent on a team, even if a lot of money is spent. We’re talking about 59 points for Marner, 44 for Nylander and 42 for Tavares, remember.

The Rangers’ season has been complicated by their current position at the bottom of the NHL, but that doesn’t mean they have to throw it away. As of Tuesday, they have won two consecutive games, showing signs of life. Their overall record of 20-20-2 doesn’t reflect the full potential this squad possesses.

It’s a well-known fact that when a Québécois from an opposing team faces the Habs at the Bell Centre, motivation is at an all-time high, and this will certainly be the case for Alexis Lafrenière on Sunday. With 24 points in 42 games so far this week, the Saint-Eustache native will be one to watch closely this weekend.

The 6’8 behemoth has a pretty impressive track record when it comes to fighting costs, having faced virtually every top matamore in the NHL. His record is missing a certain Arber Xhekaj, however, so don’t be surprised if the Rangers player decides to provoke the Sheriff on Lord’s Day.

In three starts this season, Jakub Dobes has a perfect 3-0-0 record, but all his games have been played away from home. With the double header this weekend, it could well be his first regular-season Centre Bell game in net.

With 6 goals in his last 8 games, Cole Caufield is simply on fire these days. He’s also scored 23 goals in 42 duels this season, ranking him first on the team.

Used to having the spotlight on him since his arrival in Montreal, Arber Xhekaj has been rather quiet this year, and that’s a good thing. #72 has enormously improved his defensive play, positioning and decision-making. Hats off to him, not forgetting David Savard who has helped him stabilize his game…