Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Picks, Odds, and Betting Analysis for Sep 29, 2026

• Montreal Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference finals last season.
• Toronto Maple Leafs failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16 last term.
• Canadiens have won four straight games against the Maple Leafs.

Opening night in the new NHL season will see the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena. The Leafs will be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing campaign after missing out on the postseason for the first time in ten years. Meanwhile, the Habs will be interesting outsiders in the Stanley Cup odds. You can find the latest NHL betting odds and our Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs picks here.   

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs NHL Odds

Game Result	Odds
Canadiens	-103
Maple Leafs	-111

How to Watch

• When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026. 7:07 PM ET
• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada
• How to Watch: ESPN

ALSO SEE: Presidents Cup Picks, Odds & Betting Preview (Sep 24-27)

Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Betting Preview

Habs Aiming to Build on Playoff Promise

Last season was a huge success for the Montreal Canadiens, as the franchise reached the Eastern Conference finals. Martin St. Louis will once again lead the Habs into the new season, and they boast excellent quality across the ice with the likes of Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield.

Oliver Kapanen will be hoping to build on the promise shown last term, ending the previous campaign with the third-highest tally of goals for a rookie (22).

Defensively, the Habs also have a group that is capable of mounting a playoff challenge, with Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, and Kaiden Guhle among the best defensemen in the East.

Leafs Hoping to Recover Following Disastrous 2025-26 Season

The long wait for Stanley Cup glory continues for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and major improvement will be required this term if they are to reverse their fortunes.

Much of their prospects will revolve around Auston Matthews, who endured the worst scoring rate of his career last term, before injury ruled him out for a long stretch. Darren Raddysh was one of the top UFA defensemen last term and should add some combativeness to a leaky Leafs’ defense, while there will be pressure on Sergei Bobrovsky to hit the ground running in the Toronto goal.

Appeasing Matthews has also been a key focus during the off-season, highlighted by the addition of his former USA Hockey National Team Development Program linemate, Jack Roslovic. A change in the tactical dugout was also required, with LA Kings castoff Jack Hiller replacing Craig Berube.

Head-to-Head Betting Insights

• Montreal have won four straight head-to-heads against the Maple Leafs.
• Toronto haven’t beaten the Habs since a 5-3 home win in October 2025.
• The Leafs have won just 48.3% of their games against the Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Betting Picks

Despite a fresh outlook, there are still major questions for the Maple Leafs to answer. Whether enough has changed to see them enter the playoff discussion remains to be seen. Therefore, the consistent Habs could be set to extend their excellent head-to-head record against Toronto on opening night.

• Montreal Canadiens (-103)