Canadiens at Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price enjoyed a career season in 2014-15, winning the Hart and Vezina Trophies and the Ted Lindsay Award while also securing a share of the William Jennings Trophy (with Chicago's Corey Crawford). Price looks to pick up where he left off on Wednesday as the Canadiens open the 2015-16 season on the road against the Original Six-rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
Price led the league in goals-against average (.196) and save percentage (.33) while setting a franchise record in wins (44), with four coming during the Canadiens' sweep of the Maple Leafs. "Ask anybody around the league. (Carey) is not a flash in the pan," Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters. "Carey Price is among the best, if not the best." While Montreal advanced to the second round before getting upended by Tampa Bay, Toronto saw the bottom fall out in a hurry last season and spent the summer making significant moves in a bid to get back on its feet. The Maple Leafs signed new coach Mike Babcock to an eight-year deal, brought in Hall-of-Famer Lou Lamoriello as general manager and sent five-time 30-goal scorer Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RSN (Montreal), TVA (Toronto)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (2014-15: 50-22-10, 1ST IN ATLANTIC): Max Pacioretty, who became the third American to be named captain of the historic franchise last month, scored a team-leading 37 goals in 2014-15 and finished plus-38 to share the league's top honors with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. Pacioretty's output notwithstanding, Montreal struggled to light up the scoreboard and mustered just 221 goals - the fewest among teams that qualified for the playoffs. The Canadiens attempted to address that issue by signing free-agent forward Alexander Semin, a seven-time 20-goal scorer who is coming off a disastrous six-tally season in Carolina.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (2014-15: 30-44-8, 7TH IN ATLANTIC): With Kessel in the Keystone State, James van Riemsdyk (team-leading 27 goals) will be looked upon to carry the load for Toronto. Tyler Bozak added 49 points, with five (two goals, three assists) coming against the Canadiens. Jonathan Bernier has been confirmed to start the season opener but lost all four meetings with Montreal in 2014-15 and fell to 1-5-3 with a 3.07 GAA in nine career starts versus the Canadiens.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal veteran C Tomas Plekanec scored four of his 26 goals last season versus Toronto.
2. The Maple Leafs converted just 15.9 percent of their power-play opportunities in 2014-15, tied for fourth-worst in the league.
3. Canadiens RW Zack Kassian, who was acquired from Vancouver in the offseason, entered a substance-abuse program after being involved in a car accident on Sunday.