Canadiens, Maple Leafs and Bruins‑Rangers headline goal‑heavy NHL opening night odds

The 2026‑27 NHL season drops the puck on Tuesday with five games, and two Original Six matchups are front and centre for fans and bettors alike: the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Bruins hosting the New York Rangers.

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: familiar opener with slight edge to Montreal

For the seventh consecutive season, the Canadiens and Maple Leafs open against each other at Scotiabank Arena, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET. Toronto has taken four of the previous six season openers in this stretch. Last year, Montreal started with a 5‑2 loss in Toronto before responding by winning the final three meetings between the rivals.

Despite Toronto’s recent success in openers, the betting market has installed Montreal as a narrow favourite at -110 on the money line. One factor is the Canadiens’ offence: they finished last season inside the NHL’s top 10 in goals, ranking seventh with 279.

SportsLine’s projection model expects an up‑tempo game, leaning toward the total going over 6.5 goals in a clear majority of its simulations. An analyst cited by the service is backing the Maple Leafs on the money line, arguing that Montreal may have outperformed expectations last year and that Toronto is positioned to start the new campaign with a win at home.

Bruins vs. Rangers: high‑scoring history and Boston puck‑line appeal

At 8 p.m. ET, the Bruins and Rangers renew acquaintances at TD Garden in Tuesday’s other marquee Original Six showdown. New York won two of three meetings with Boston in 2025‑26, including a 6‑2 victory in Boston. All three games between the clubs last season produced at least seven total goals, underscoring how dangerous both offences can be.

The Bruins tied for 10th in the league with 268 goals last season, even though David Pastrnak failed to reach 30 goals for the first time in his last nine full campaigns. SportsLine’s model projects another offence‑driven contest, favouring the over on 5.5 goals in more than half of its runs.

The moneyline is tight, with the Rangers listed at -110 in what amounts to a near pick’em. Against the spread, however, one SportsLine expert is backing Boston -1 after the Bruins’ emphatic 10‑2 home win over New York in their most recent TD Garden meeting.

With a familiar rivalry in Toronto and a potentially explosive tilt in Boston, NHL opening night sets up as a high‑event showcase for both fans and bettors as the 2026‑27 season gets underway.