Montreal overwhelmed Detroit in the season opener, riding Mike Matheson’s goal and assist as Zachary Bolduc, Oliver Kapanen, Alexandre Carrier and Juraj Slafkovsky joined the scoring on a night Montreal exploited Detroit’s breakdowns. Nick Suzuki added two assists, Jakub Dobes faced 30 shots before Gibson’s rough Detroit debut, and Dylan Larkin’s first-period power-play tally was the lone bright spot for the Wings. Montreal’s balanced attack sets a strong early tone.

Max Domi is pegged to get the first crack on a Matthews-Knies pairing, with Matias Maccelli as a fallback. If Domi struggles, Maccelli could slot with Tavares and Nylander. Toronto still seeks a true top-six add, but assets are tight and camp battles will trim Robertson, Cowan, Kampf, or Jarnkrok. Across the league, Montreal’s Matheson and Gorton surface in Canadiens chatter, while Chinakhov, Kaprizov, Evangelista, and Peeke drive broader fantasy intrigue.

Mike Matheson’s Montreal future hinges on a contract-year decision, with cap space looming as a core factor. The Canadiens value veteran blueline presence while pursuing a patient rebuild, making a hometown discount plausible but not guaranteed. Montreal also pursues stability at the top with extensions for Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes, while keeping doors open for mid-season upgrades, including a top-six forward and a left-handed center, with Edmonton and Chicago cited as potential trade partners.

Montreal’s Mike Matheson faces a pivotal final year at 4.8M cap, with a real chance to stay as Hutson and other young D push for PP time. The piece maps fantasy angles: Matheson’s value if he stays; waiver risks for Struble/Xhekaj; Necas’ market for the Avs; potential 3C and left-shot deadline targets; and what the rosters imply for daily fantasy and fantasy trades.