The Montreal Canadiens kicked off their training camp with changes to their top two forward lines with Chris Kreider on the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Meanwhile, Juraj Slafkovsky was on the second line with Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen.
It certainly is surprising to see that Slafkovsky was moved off the top line, as those three together were one of the best groups in the entire NHL. According to Natural Stat Trick, these three together on the ice had a Goals For % of 70.2% in 5v5 situations.
The decision by head coach Martin St. Louis to have Slafkovsky begin on the second line isn't necessarily a reflection on him not playing well on that top line. This move instead can bring some balance to their Top 6 and might be able to hopefully help Oliver Kapanen bounce back after he struggled down the stretch last season.
While Slafkovsky had over 500 minutes of ice time with Caufield and Suzuki, he also played a good amount of the season with Ivan Demidov and Kapanen, with over 360 minutes of ice time. In those minutes, these three combined for a Goals For % of 58.14%. However, when Kapanen was on the ice without Demidov and Slafkovsky, his Goals For % was only 39.66%.
Montreal Canadiens smart to begin camp with Chris Kreider on the top line
While it is a surprising move, it is a smart move on the part of Martin St. Louis, as Chris Kreider is the only new piece for their Top 6 compared to last season's roster. The other forwards in this group have familiarity playing with each other, but it is unclear where Kreider fits best.
After practice on Thursday, Cole Caufield liked the idea of having Kreider on the top line because of what he brings to this team, according to Kenzie Lalonde with TSN:
Caufield on why Chris Kreider would be a good fit for his line:
— Kenzie Lalonde (@KenzieTSN) September 17, 2026
“Obviously he's got everything. He's heavy. Wins a lot of battles. Good in front. Helps our team depth-wise too, and obviously he has that experience too, so I think he's played everywhere in the lineup, and…
The ideal scenario, based on the players they have, is that Kreider fits in seamlessly on the top line and the Canadiens have a stronger second line with Slafkovsky and Demidov on either side of Kapanen. However, if they get an indication early that Kreider may not be a good fit, then they can always bring Slafkovsky back up to the top line because they know how well it has worked.
With a shortened training camp, the coaching staff is going to be limited in how much time they have to evaluate line combinations. These two line combinations are the best-case scenario for Montreal if they can work out and getting that answer as soon as possible will benefit them going into the regular season.
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