It’s rare that the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs have been good at the same time. And while Toronto might have the edge on them overall heading into the season, the gap has closed considerably over the past 12 months.

Last year, the Canadiens were still in the midst of their rebuild. Nobody expected them to finish in the bottom five again, but most still didn’t believe they were a playoff team. Despite some late-season shenanigans that nearly kept them out, Montreal made it and gave the Washington Capitals a bit of a headache early before eventually suffering a first-round exit.

Now? Nobody’s doubting the team from Quebec anymore. They’re legit.

Toronto will welcome its Original Six rival to Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night to kick off the 2025-26 regular season. The Leafs went 3-1 against the Habs during the season, but it was an incredible 48-save shutout from goaltender Samuel Montembeault that ultimately sunk the Leafs.

Montreal’s top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky all had career years in 2024-25, with Suzuki establishing himself as one of the most productive centers in the Atlantic Division. Montreal’s scoring depth looks significantly more dangerous, as well, with Ivan Demidov and Zack Bolduc set to play big roles on the wings. Montreal also has Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine at full health, which helps. Montreal’s forward group is still a work in progress, but it’s as legit a top-nine as the Canadiens have had since they made the Stanley Cup final in 2021 (Toronto was their first-round victim).

Defensively, all eyes will be on Lane Hutson. He’s coming off a Calder Trophy campaign – one of the best by a rookie defenseman over the past decade. If it wasn’t for his second-half play, the Canadiens likely wouldn’t have made the playoffs. You’ll hear a lot about his defensive struggles, but his game evolved to the point last year where it’s no longer a major concern. Noah Dobson had a rough preseason, but he’s still a high-impact defender when he’s at his best. Was the preseason just a weak stretch, or has his game fallen significantly? Betting odds would likely fall in favor of the former, but we’ll find out soon enough.

Montreal’s blueline, as a whole, looks tougher to play against than in previous outings. We know Arber Xhekaj loves to get physical any time he can. Alexandre Carrier is one heck of a third-line defender. Kaiden Guhle really grew into his own last year, and being another year older doesn’t hurt. Mike Matheson is Montreal’s premier veteran presence and can still be a solid two-way defender, even if he’s no longer as consistent as he used to be.

Going back to Xhekaj, who’ll be willing to drop the gloves with him tonight? Max Domi? Dakota Joshua? Simon Benoit? You know the Burlington, Ontario native will challenge just about anyone. That’s a storyline to watch tonight.

And then there’s Montembeault in net. His surface stats might not feel special, but his 30.79 goals saved above expected in all situations last year was third in the NHL (Anthony Stolarz was second at 31.2). Montembeault is expected to be on Canada’s Olympic team, too. He’s a legitimate goaltender and is fully capable of stealing games, as he did last October.

The Maple Leafs have a 10-4-1 record against Montreal dating back to Oct. 13, 2021. That’s rather one-sided. However, those days are likely to disappear soon. Montreal has a solid young core that’s growing into its own, and there are plenty of high-end prospects emerging from the pipeline.

Montreal’s blend of youth, experience, size, and skill makes them tough to deal with. They’ve got four lines that can do damage, and there’s no true weak link on the point. There’s still room for the top-end guys to blossom (watch out for a Slafkovsky breakout season), but the days of drafting near the top are over. And you know they’ll want nothing more than to stun the Leafs on their own turf.

The Canadiens set a new standard last year – it’s playoffs or bust from here on out. They’re likely not going deep this year, but they’re not going to be an easy team to contend with. If you thought Montreal already offered Toronto headaches in the past, get ready for more.