Neither the Montreal Canadiens nor Arizona Coyotes are expected to be good teams this year, but they’ll collide tonight at the Bell Centre.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Arizona Coyotes (+146) vs. Montreal Canadiens (-176) Total: 6.5 (O +102, U -124)
It’s not often this season you’re going to see the Montreal Canadiens enter a game as favorites, but when the lowly Arizona Coyotes come to town, that’s exactly what happens. Both teams are going through their rebuilds at different paces, with the Coyotes going full scorched earth and not hiding their attempt to secure a generational talent in the 2023 NHL draft, while the Habs have been forming a nice mix of veterans and young players, trying to build through the draft as well. The Coyotes are coming off a massive upset over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, while the Canadiens stunned the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime.
Goaltending could be a struggle for both organizations, but it could be good for this matchup if you’re interested in goals. The visiting Coyotes will likely turn to Karel Vejmelka, while the Habs are expected to counter with veteran Jake Allen. Vejmelka has posted a 1-2 record with a .894 save percentage, while Allen is 1-1 with a .943 save percentage. Allen was on the paternity list on Monday but was back on the ice for practice yesterday and will likely be called upon for the Canadiens a fair amount this year. Still, don’t get fooled by Allen’s early numbers, he’s a quality goaltender, but the defense in front of him is extremely young.
With both teams entering the season with low expectations, it’s hard to lean one way or another when these squads collide. Regarding the on-ice product, the Canadiens have looked much better than the Coyotes, but it’s hard to back their moneyline price at -164. There’s likely some value with the visiting Coyotes, priced at +146 on the moneyline.
Best Bet: Coyotes moneyline (+146)
It’s no secret that goals will likely be hard to come by this season for the Coyotes and Canadiens. Tonight’s total is set at 6.5, and it doesn’t feel likely that either side will create a ton of offense. Allen has looked dialed in early on, and Vejmelka is better than his numbers suggest. There’s some value with the under 6.5 at -124.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-124)
There are so many young and talented goal scorers in the NHL, and one that deserves a lot of attention is Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield. Through four games, the sniping winger has found the back of the net three times and has continued to build off a great second half from last year. The Coyotes shouldn’t give Caufield many problems as far as open looks. As a result, there’s definite value built into Caufield’s price to score at +160 that should be considered.
Best Prop: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 Goals (+160)
