Montreal returns to the Atlantic Division after spending a season exclusively taking on Canadien teams. While they barely made it to the postseason last year, they pulled off a major upset against Toronto and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Here’s how to bet on the Canadiens with the latest season-long future props.
What Happened Last Season?
Montreal completed a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. The unconventional pathway had them taking down Toronto in seven games, sweeping Winnipeg, and stunning Vegas in six games. That magic faded in the final series when Tampa Bay dominated most of those contests.
The Canadiens don’t have a team category they really excel at, but a handful of players stepped up when they needed it. Right winger Cole Caufield made his debut on the team on April 26 and had four goals and four assists across the series against the Jets and Golden Knights. Centers Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki were consistent on the offensive end and finished the season with 115 total points (regular and postseason).
Personnel Changes For The Canadiens
Most notably, center Phillip Danault and left wing Tomas Tatar are no longer on the team. Danault spent the last six seasons with Montreal and Frank J. Selke Trophy contender over the last three years. Totar wasn’t as productive in his last season, but over three years with the Canadiens, he finished with 57 goals and 92 assists.
Defender Shea Weber is still with the team, but he’s likely to miss the entire season. Ongoing issues with foot and ankle injuries could keep him out longer than that, or potentially end his career.
A lot of young players, including Caufield and Suzuki, will have more of a presence on this season’s team. Notable veteran additions include David Savard and Chris Wideman on defense, and center Mathieu Perreault.
Montreal Canadiens Teams Futures
Outright Winner Props
Montreal Canadiens Odds | DraftKings | BetMGM |
---|---|---|
Stanley Cup Champions | +5000 | +4000 |
Eastern Conference Winner | +2200 | +1400 |
Atlantic Division Winner | +3500 | +2500 |
Sportsbooks don’t have high hopes for Montreal to succeed this season. DraftKings has them with the same odds (+5000) as St. Louis and New Jersey to win the Stanley Cup. They’re only above teams that have no real chance to win the Eastern Conference, and they are projected to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division.
With a lower perception on the Canadiens entering the season, this is a good time to grab them if you like them. After opening the season against Toronto, they have a pretty favorable schedule. A tough back-to-back against the New York Islanders and Vegas in early November is at home.
Over/Under 89.5 Team Total Points
Can the Canadiens propel their recent postseason success into the regular season? This is going to be a tough division to achieve that, but it’s possible. With a bigger emphasis on the offensive end, there’s reason to be positive about the number of wins they can get.
One of the big keys will be a strong start for Montreal, and that should happen. Assuming that momentum can carry over, the first month of the season has manageable contests, even with a four-game stretch on the West Coast. Things get a little more difficult after that with three games against Pittsburgh, and meeting Colorado and Tampa Bay, between November 18 and December 14.
Montreal Canadiens Player Futures
Top Goalscorers (at DraftKings)
- Tyler Toffoli (+5000)
- Cole Caufield (+5000)
- Brendan Gallagher (+7500)
With a new emphasis on Montreal’s offense, it might be worth a sprinkle on one of the longshots. Interestingly, the same odds are offered between last year’s leading scorer (Toffoli with 28 goals) and the newcomer with a lot of high expectations (Caufield). Toffoli is coming off a career season, but still has the potential to match or improve on that.
Caufield blazed onto the ice with eight goals over 30 games late last season, half of those coming in the postseason. He’s a star in the making, but there’s a lot of pressure on him to perform at the next level. If picking a long shot, Toffoli seems more reliable than Caufield, at least heading into this season.
Sports Betting Recommendations
- Over 89.5 team total points (-120, DraftKings)
- Top Goalscorer: Tyler Toffoli (+5000, DraftKings)
- Winning Division: Atlantic (+200, BetMGM)
Montreal backed into the postseason a year ago, losing their last five games of the regular season to finish 24-21-11. Even in a tougher division, going over on 89.5 team points looks like the better play. This number feels lower than it should be, likely due to all the roster moves, but there’s a lot of breakout potential.
For those looking at a value play, consider Tyler Toffoli as a top goalscorer. Again, this isn’t expecting that it will actually hit. This is sprinkling money on and seeing what happens over the course of the season. The highest amount of goals Toffoli has scored was 31 goals in 82 games in the 2015-16 season with the Los Angeles Kings.
Finally, one unique prop at BetMGM to consider. If you can’t pull the trigger on the Canadiens to win it all, the sportsbook does offer division representation. You can triple your money by selecting an Atlantic Division team to win it all. Considering there are three strong contenders in the division (Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto), this is another way to root for Montreal should they make another run.
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