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3 reasons for optimism after Canadiens' season-opening win over Maple Leafs

The Canadiens won their season-opening game against the Maple Leafs.

By Nate Duffett |
Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages
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It's always a good day when the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. The post-victory feeling is even better when they do it in the fashion of Thursday night. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 1-0 on a 48-save Samuel Montembeault shutout. Cole Caufield scored the lone goal off a beautiful Juraj Slafkovsky assist, snapping a concerning trend of 30 scoreless powerplay opportunities in the preseason. Here are three reasons for optimism after the win.

1. Samuel Montembeault, obviously

Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't easy to keep off the scoresheet. They hadn't been shut out since November 20, 2021, 252 games ago. It was the third-longest streak behind the 1980s Los Angeles Kings and 1970s Chicago Blackhawks.

The Maple Leafs fired shots at Samuel Montembeault from every angle and ended the night with 48 shots. It was the most saves in a season-opening shutout in NHL history. It was also the first shutout for Montembeault since the 2021-22 season.

The result on Thursday night shows the beauty of sports. Most people expected the high-powered Leafs to put on an offensive clinic and the question was whether the Habs had enough depth to keep pace. The opposite was true, which shows why sports are the greatest form of entertainment.

The shutout on Thursday night means much more than just a season-opening win over the Maple Leafs. Montembeault is one of the players whose October and November will be integral in earning a spot on Canada's Four Nations Faceoff roster. With a performance like this on the country's biggest night, he has to be the front-runner to steal a goaltending spot.

2. Lane Hutson keeps proving the doubters wrong

Philadelphia Flyers v Montreal Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

Lane Hutson entered the season with a massive target on his back. The same doubters who keep saying he wouldn't make it to the next level were out in full force to say he couldn't impact the NHL. The reality couldn't be farther from the truth.

Hutson has an unlimited fuel supply when he's on the ice. He speeds in and around opposing players, escaping with pucks he has no business controlling. It was what made him such a force in the NCAA, but many wondered how he would do against faster, more physical players at the NHL level. On Thursday night, he didn't look out of place at all.

There will be some growing pains along the way for Hutson, but through this season-opener and the two games last season, there's no reason to believe he isn't here to stay and will be one of the top offensive defensemen in the game. The undersized defenseman had a couple of plays that showed he could work on his defensive game, but his offensive skills make up for it.

3. Alex Newhook's growth offensively

We already know Alex Newhook is a valuable two-way forward. He was the third-line center on a Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche team in 2022. Newhook showed glimpses of offensive growth in 2023-24, recording 34 points in 55 games. It was a career-high for him in just 55 games. If Newhook can maintain that pace for 82 games, he'll reach a new career-high and make a run for full-time duties on the second line.

Newhook started the season against the Maple Leafs in 2023-24 with two goals. In theory, this year was a step back for the Newfoundland-born forward. However, Newhook recorded three shots on just 13:13 of ice time. It seemed like he impacted the game whenever he was on the ice and had some point-blank, highlight-reel chances.

Canadiens fans will want to see Newhook finish on some of those chances, but his debut shows plenty of potential. If he continues playing like that for the next two months, Patrik Laine's injury will be even easier to handle.

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