Canadiens: Dobeš shines, Anderson haunts Leafs in five opening‑night takeaways

The Montreal Canadiens were given Wednesday off after opening their 2026–27 season with a 3–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. That first game in a revamped Toronto setting offered an early glimpse at several storylines that could shape the months ahead, from the crease to the top line and a high‑profile rookie debut.

Dobeš in elite company, Anderson keeps punishing Toronto

Tuesday’s start was the 60th regular‑season appearance of Jakub Dobeš’s young NHL career and produced his 37th win. With only 14 regulation losses and seven more in overtime, he sits at a 63.8 percent win rate per start. Among the 31 goalies who have made at least 50 starts in Canadiens history, that figure ranks third, trailing only Michel Larocque and Ken Dryden.

That perspective comes with caveats, including the smaller sample and the fact that past greats played in an era with ties and very different workloads. Still, at 25, Dobeš simply does not lose often when he gets the net for Montreal.

Up front, Josh Anderson once again looked energised facing the team from his home region. Since joining the Canadiens, he has collected 17 points in 29 games against the Maple Leafs, a scoring pace well ahead of what he has managed against the rest of the league. Since the start of the 2020–21 season, that production has made him one of the most prolific point‑getters in the NHL specifically versus Toronto, a ranking that far exceeds his overall place in league scoring over the same span. Anderson has also been productive in season openers against the Leafs, averaging a point per game in those settings.

Blue‑line questions and a quiet night for the new top line

On defence, usage patterns drew attention. Jayden Struble logged just over 11 minutes of ice time, one of the lowest totals of his regular‑season career and well below last season’s average, despite Kaiden Guhle being out injured. Struble did not see the ice on special teams, while Arber Xhekaj at least picked up some shorthanded work, even though his overall minutes were also modest.

It is early, but that distribution underlines how unsettled the Canadiens’ blue line remains. Roles and pairings are still being defined beyond the top names, and injuries are already shaping the rotation.

Montreal’s new first line also had a subdued debut. Chris Kreider, lining up with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, is still learning his linemates’ tendencies, while Caufield moved over to the right side to accommodate the newcomer on left wing. At five‑on‑five, the trio produced only a small share of expected goals in just over ten minutes together, a level similar to the roughest outings last year from the former Suzuki–Caufield–Juraj Slafkovský unit, according to Natural Stat Trick. It is far too soon to draw firm conclusions, but this will be a closely watched file.

Faceoff edge and an unusual rookie day for McKenna

If neither club truly controlled play overall, the Canadiens were clearly superior in the faceoff circle. Montreal won 60.4 percent of draws and 71 percent in the offensive zone. Surprisingly, Phillip Danault finished as the least dominant regular centre in that area at an even 50 percent.

Alex Newhook, meanwhile, took advantage of a rare look down the middle with Oliver Kapanen sidelined. He went 7‑for‑9 on draws for a 78 percent success rate. For a player who has never reached the 50 percent mark over a full season, it was an encouraging early sign, even if it remains to be seen how long he stays at centre.

Gavin McKenna’s first NHL game was also anything but standard for a rookie. As noted by TVA Sports, he skipped his team’s optional morning skate, an uncommon choice for a first‑year player still on his entry‑level contract. In the evening, he missed out on the traditional solo warm‑up lap usually reserved for players making their NHL debut.

Instead, Sergei Bobrovsky led the team onto the ice, forcing the Maple Leafs’ social media staff to frame their warm‑up video carefully to spotlight McKenna while the veteran goalie still appeared in the shot. Even with those quirks in his pre‑game routine, the forward’s main milestone remained intact: a high‑profile first taste of NHL action on opening night in Toronto.