Montreal rolled to a 5-0 preseason win over Ottawa behind Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier scoring in the second period, with Oliver Kapanen, Lane Hutson and Kirby Dach also finding the net. Brendan Gallagher posted three assists as Jakub Dobes earned the shutout; Ottawa goalie Leevi Merilainen stopped 18 of 23. Montreal went 3-for-10 on the power play, while Ottawa was 0-for-2 despite a 102-minute penalty load.

In a separate NHL showcase, Minnesota edged Winnipeg 3-2. Marcus Foligno broke a 2-2 tie with a short-handed marker in the second, while Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov doubled the Wild’s lead on the power play. Kaprizov signed a historic $136 million, eight-year deal in the lead-up to the season. Connor Hellebuyck took the loss for Winnipeg, with Cole Koepke and Vladislav Namestnikov supplying the Jets’ goals.

St. Louis enters his fourth Canadiens camp with a deeper roster and one forward spot to decide, while top-line stability is clear but the middle six remains unsettled. Kapanen appears to have the inside track thanks to a mature two-way game, and Newhook shifts to a defensive, penalty-killing role as he chases improved faceoffs. Montreal’s 82-game grind looms, with Demidov, Bolduc, Dach and Laine pushing for secondary lines behind Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky.

Calder Trophy candidates Demidov, Snuggerud, Leonard, Koivunen, Misa, Shabanov, Rinzel, Parekh, Buium, Schaefer, Askarov and Merilainen stand out as high-upside targets for dynasty and keeper rosters. Demidov could hit a 65-point ceiling with Montreal if Laine and Dach stay healthy and gel; Snuggerud projects 60–65 on a top line; Leonard brings multi-cat value with scoring and hits; Koivunen could thrive on Crosby’s wing. Deeper leagues eye Misa, Rinzel and Parekh for immediate gains, while Buium and Merilainen loom as longer-term upside.

Value opportunities arise from top-line opportunities, exclusive power-play roles, and the ability to contribute across categories. The mix of young talent across Montreal, St. Louis, Washington, Pittsburgh and San Jose creates multiple viable in-season streams for fantasy managers. Dynasty rosters should pounce on these rookies now, and redraft players may find late-round steals among this group as the season unfolds.

In short, these rookies offer a blend of immediate point upside, multi-category contributions and long-term growth potential. Target the right mix of high-floor producers and high-ceiling dice rolls to build a versatile, championship-ready roster.