MTL at SJS
Montréal Canadiens at San Jose Sharks. Preview from the model, the licensed feeds and last season's measures. Nothing here is a betting recommendation.
- Model now
- Expected score
- Market
- —
- Venue
- SAP Center at San Jose
What the model says now
Lineups not yet published: each club's usual lineup assumed. Starting goalie not confirmed: goaltending held at league average. This estimate moves until the ledger freezes it before puck drop.
Source: CapOrCup game model (derived from club ratings, rest and starters)
What the schedule did to each side
Nights off, back-to-backs, third games in four nights, road-trip position and travel since the last game, from the statistical schedule. Shown as facts; rest is in the price, travel is not.
1 night off · game 4 of a road trip
1 night off · 4000 km since the last game, 3 time zones
In goal
The league names no starter before puck drop. First on each club's depth chart, from the licensed feed, is the expected starter.
Jacob Fowler
Alex Nedeljkovic
Expected lines
What each club intends per the feed's depth chart, with each forward's shooter rating (Elo, against the goalies faced last season). A listing is the club's statement, not a game sheet.
Montréal Canadiens
L1 Cole Caufield (top tenth of the league) · Nick Suzuki (above the league middle) · Juraj Slafkovský (above the league middle)
L2 Chris Kreider (below the league middle) · Alex Newhook (top tenth of the league) · Josh Anderson (below the league middle)
L3 Zachary Bolduc (below the league middle) · Phillip Danault (bottom tenth of the league) · Alexandre Texier (above the league middle)
D1 Lane Hutson (above the league middle) · Noah Dobson (above the league middle)
D2 Mike Matheson (above the league middle) · Kaiden Guhle (below the league middle)
PP1 Chris Kreider (below the league middle) · Nick Suzuki (above the league middle) · Juraj Slafkovský (above the league middle) · Cole Caufield (top tenth of the league) · Lane Hutson (above the league middle)
San Jose Sharks
L1 Mason Marchment (above the league middle) · Will Smith (top tenth of the league) · Igor Chernyshov (above the league middle)
L2 Ivar Stenberg · Alexander Wennberg (above the league middle) · Kiefer Sherwood (above the league middle)
L3 Collin Graf (above the league middle) · Michael Misa (above the league middle) · Tyler Toffoli (below the league middle)
D1 Darnell Nurse (above the league middle) · Michael Kesselring (below the league middle)
D2 Sam Dickinson (below the league middle) · Jacob Trouba (above the league middle)
PP1 Will Smith (top tenth of the league) · Alexander Wennberg (above the league middle) · Igor Chernyshov (above the league middle) · Luca Cagnoni · Ivar Stenberg
Who the clubs list as out
Club-announced listings relayed by the licensed feed. No cause is inferred; Day To Day players are shown but not counted as out.
Montréal Canadiens
Mike Matheson (D): Day To Day (lower-body), listed since 2026-10-13, expected back 2026-10-17
Bryce Pickford (D): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-31
Florian Xhekaj (LW): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-10-10, expected back 2026-10-31
Ivan Demidov (RW): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-10-03, expected back 2026-10-31
Lucas Condotta (LW): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-09-30, expected back 2026-10-31
Samuel Montembeault (G): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-10-07, expected back 2026-10-20
San Jose Sharks
Quentin Musty (LW): Out (upper body), listed since 2026-09-28, expected back 2026-12-01
Who has the whistle
Named by the league, usually near puck drop. Each referee's record is from last season's play-by-play penalties; ranks are distance from league norms.