After a preparatory calendar marked by dangerous gestures, the Montreal Canadiens are finally preparing to begin their campaign on Wednesday evening, when they will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre.

The Habs management has reiterated that it wants to see the team “in the mix” until late in the season. The players, for their part, are ready to show that they can do even better.

But to achieve their goals, the Canadiens will have to continue to follow the teachings of head coach Martin St-Louis.

“We’re not the same young team we were two or three years ago,” captain Nick Suzuki said Tuesday. “We have higher expectations of ourselves. We have to take our responsibilities even more seriously. Our mistakes won’t be judged the same way.”

Management didn’t make any major changes this offseason. The biggest acquisition was forward Patrik Laine, who is sidelined for the next two to three months with a sprained left knee.
Of the 18 skaters who faced the Maple Leafs in last year’s season opener, 12 should once again be in the Canadiens’ lineup Wednesday night.

Rather than looking for a lot of help elsewhere in the NHL, the Tricolore has focused on the continuity and progression of its young core.

“You can see it in the team play, offensively and defensively,” St-Louis said. “We grew up together. We learned to play together, in all facets of the game. With more repetitions, you get better.”

St. Louis has always wanted to take it one step at a time since his appointment in February 2022. He noted that he has made adjustments to his defensive system and said he was encouraged by what he saw at five-on-five during camp.
“We’ve been focusing on the defensive zone and the retreat. We want to defend better as a team,” Suzuki said. “That’ll make life easier for our goalies.”

Quebecer Samuel Montembeault will be the Canadiens’ starting goalie on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs. Cayden Primeau can be expected to start the next day against the Bruins in Boston.

St. Louis didn’t want to get too specific about the use of its goalies this season.

“They gave us good performances last season,” he said. “We’re comfortable with both of them. Sam has separated himself a little bit from the group the last two years, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be the number one all season.”

“We’ll manage the schedule based on their performance,” St-Louis added, while saying that if Montembeault played around 50 or 55 games, it would be a sign that he’s “doing a very good job.”

“I wish that for him. It would mean that he has continued to progress,” St-Louis said.

Montembeault also said no plans have been made for the entire season. He did, however, say he is honoured to play in the home opener for the first time in his career, having played in last year’s home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“It’s very stressful,” Montembeault admitted. “You want to do well in the first game. I’m going to try to use the energy of the crowd to have a good game and help the team win.”

Defenseman Jayden Struble will be sidelined against the Maple Leafs. He is dealing with an upper-body injury and his condition will be reassessed on a day-to-day basis.