Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The two most successful teams in Stanley Cup history, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, renew hostilities once more in their season openers at Centre Bell on Wednesday night.

The Canadiens have of course claimed the Stanley Cup on 24 occasions while the Maple Leafs are next best with 13, although it has been a long time since either were successful, Montreal last winning it in 1993, Toronto way back in 1967.

The futures market suggests that the respective waits for more of Lord Stanley's silverware is likely to go on, with Toronto only joint-eighth favourites at +1400 to break their drought, while only four teams have bigger odds than the Canadiens' +8000.

The Maple Leafs have at least found the postseason easy to come by of late, making the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons, although only once have they won at least one series.

By contrast and despite surprisingly reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, Montreal has failed to qualify for the playoffs in six of the last nine seasons, including each of the last three.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens betting picks and predictions

Toronto Maple Leafs -1 (+135)

There seems little doubt that Toronto will be challenging for honours this season as, although they are a joint-eighth favourite to win the Stanley Cup, they are +250 to win the Atlantic Division, behind only the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers at +210.

The Canadiens have finished last in the division in each of the last three seasons and they are expected to do so again priced at +7500 to win it, despite hints of progression under Martin St Louis. The Buffalo Sabres have already lost twice this season and they have the next longest odds of +1300, suggesting another season of struggle ahead for Montreal.

The Maple Leafs have of course decided on a change of direction behind the bench, with Sheldon Keefe paying for another first-round loss in the playoffs by being sacked in May, replaced by 2019 Stanley Cup-winning coach with the St Louis Blues, Craig Berube.

A change of fortunes in the postseason is the hope, with the Leafs having finished third in the Atlantic Division, well clear of Tampa Bay, having amassed 102 points with a 46-26-10 record last season.

Goals were not a problem for Toronto with Auston Matthews claiming his third career Rocket Richard Trophy, scoring 69 goals in a 107-point haul in the regular season, while only the Colorado Avalanche scored more than the Leafs in the regular season.

The larger problem was at the other end of the ice with only 11 teams allowing more than Toronto's tally of 263 - but the Leafs have made positive steps in the offseason to change that, particularly with the trade for Christopher Tanev from the Dallas Stars.

The 34-year-old could just be the shutdown defenceman that the Leafs have been looking for, providing the perfect foil for the more offensive Morgan Reilly, while Oliver Ekman-Larsson adds further depth on the blue line. Between the pipes, Anthony Stolarz, a Cup winner with Florida last season, more than offsets the loss of Ilya Samsonov with Matt Murray also signed for this season for healthy competition.

Montreal had issues at both ends with the fifth-worst defensive record, while they weren't much better offensively with only six sides scoring fewer. The Canadiens have been unfortunate to lose off-season acquisition Patrik Laine to a knee injury in preseason - ironically against Toronto, which of course hinders their chances against the Leafs.

Being a season-opener and a heated rivalry game may seem like muddied waters but with the Leafs keen to make up for last season's disappointment and under new leadership, both on and off the ice with Matthews now the captain, Toronto can make their superiority count.

The Leafs have won the last five games between these two, including both at Centre Bell last season with the last result a 4-2 success, and they can win in similar fashion on Wednesday.

Under 6.5 (-110)

While last season's opener was a 10-goal slugfest at the Scotiabank Arena with Toronto prevailing in a shootout, the other two wins for the Maple Leafs came in five-goal and six-goal games in Montreal.

In fact, only five of the last 17 games involving these two franchises have gone over six goals, and until Montreal proves its goalscoring worth, the trend looks set to continue.

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Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens odds

Toronto Maple Leafs	-170
Montreal Canadiens	+145
Puck Line	TOR Maple Leafs -1
Total	O/U 6.5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.