Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Odds & Picks Tonight: Leafs Cruise In Season Opener

The Montreal Canadiens welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Bell Center for the 847th edition of the oldest rivalry in the NHL. The Habs will face long odds to open the season as BET99 has them as the +155 home dog with the visiting Leafs the -175 favorites on the comeback.

BET99 also has the total set at 6.5 with OVER juiced at -120 despite going UNDER that mark in six of their last 9 meetings and three straight in Montreal. The Leafs had a ton of success against the Habs last year, sweeping the season series 3-0-0 and I think the Buds continue to ride that wave into this new season.

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Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Odds tonight

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens, Oct. 9, 7:00 pm ET

Odds as of October 8

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Picks Tonight

Maple Leafs ML (-175)

If you include the preseason, Toronto is 5-0-0 against Montreal since last season. Just by that trend alone, the Leafs should win. But if I know Toronto Maple Leafs fans, they don't trust their team to get the dub in a matchup they "should" win. So let me make it easier for them.

Let's start with the net. Specifically, Montreal's net. Samuel Montembault is getting the start on Wednesday night. Snacks as he's called, has only played Toronto once in his career allowing three goals on 18 shots for a 3.95GAA and 0.833SV%. Horrible. In 40 starts last year, Montembault averaged a sad 3.14GAA and 0.903SV%. 

Now let's talk about the Leafs. They've got a new coach so you immediately have to consider the fabled "new coach bounce". You also have to consider that Berube went 3-0-2 with a +6 goal differential to start a season as the head coach of the St. Louis Blues. 

Also, in the Auston Matthews era, the Leafs have gone 6-1-1 to open a season and 4-1-0 when opening the season against the Montreal Canadiens. 

To me, this is shaping up to be a Leafs win. I know Leafs' fans lack confidence when their team is such a big favorite, but empirically that fear is unfounded. Toronto went 6-2SU last year when favored on the road by -175 or more. They win tonight. Don't worry.

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I've gone into detail as to why Toronto wins so it only makes sense to include that as the first leg of this parlay. 

Leg two is Matthews to score anytime. And look, there's no team Matthews loves scoring on more than the Canadiens with 27 goals in 34 career games. Heck, he scored three in the season-opener against Montreal last year. Now with the 'C' and all the attention on him, Matthews undoubtedly scores. 

Robertson's prop is one of those lines I love at 1.5 shots. Last year Robertson averaged three shots per game, we only need half of that today. Further, the 23-year-old had a remarkable preseason playing alongside former captain, John Tavares, notching five goals in four games. There was some turmoil in the offseason with Robertson requesting a trade -- start putting points on the board and your value only increases and it starts in Game 1.

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Prop Bet: Kirby Dach O1.5 SOG (-140)

I love seeing a 1.5 line. We just need two shots for the prop to hit. 

Dach has averaged 2.8 shots per game in his career and 3.2 shots per game with the Montreal Canadiens. Through the preseason Dach took nine shots in three games a flat average of three per game. In his one preseason tilt with Toronto, he had two shots. To me, this bet hits easily.

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Betting Trends