How Utah HC Matches Up With The Montreal Canadiens

Utah HC is completing its preparations for its inaugural season by announcing its rookie camp roster and TV broadcast team, and we continue ours by previewing their matchups with the Montreal Canadiens.

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The Canadiens return plenty of talent with forwards Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, and Cole Caufield. (Notably, Caufield will be changing his number to 13 this season to honor Johnny Gaudreau.)

However, their biggest addition is Patrik Laine, who was acquired via trade with Columbus a couple of weeks ago.

It mirrors Utah's biggest acquisition of the summer, defenceman Mikhail Sergachev, who was swept up from Tampa Bay on day two of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft in Las Vegas.

The Habs also have the benefit of a young coach named Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, who enters his second full season coaching the 24-time Stanley Cup winners.

Laine will look to be a key addition to a loaded top-six forward group that includes Anderson, Gallagher, and Caufield, while Sergachev looks to bolster Utah's defence core surrounded by new signings John Marino, Ian Cole, and recent addition Robert Bortuzzo.

It will be an interesting matchup for sure, but I give the slight edge in this one to Utah because of their physicality on the blue line.

Coach Andre Tourigny wants to play fast, but wear you down, similar in style to what Vegas does with a quick transition game.

That's what could make the difference in the showdowns between the Original Six and recent expansion team.

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