The Montreal Canadiens will take on the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena. Montreal is playing for the second night in a row after a rough start to their season. They take on a Detroit team that is playing for the first time this season and looking to get into the win column right away. Before the action begins from Detroit, continue reading to get my Canadiens vs Red Wings prediction.
Our Canadiens vs Red Wings Pick
- Pick: Detroit Red Wings -1.5
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Montreal Canadiens @ Detroit Red Wings
- Date & Time: Thursday, October 9, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Canadiens vs Red Wings Odds
| Odds | Line |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | Detroit –135 | Montreal +115 |
| Puckline | Detroit –1.5 (+175) | Montreal +1.5 (–225) |
| Total | 6.5 |
Key Storylines
Recent Form
- Montreal opened its season in Toronto with a 5–2 loss. The game was tied 2-2 heading into the third period before the Habs gave up three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes of play.
- Detroit opens its season here and will try to get off to a good start at home.
Goaltending
Goaltender rotation will be a factor for the Habs going into this game. Sam Montembeault gave up three goals for Montreal last night and will likely give way to one of his backups here. The Canadiens need better play in net no matter who is there. The Wings are set to start this season with Cam Talbot between the pipes after he appeared in 47 games for them a season ago.
Key Skaters
- Alex DeBrincat had 39 goals last season and remains a potent threat to score for Detroit entering this season opener.
- Montreal’s offensive attack will likely lean heavily on Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, both of whom were held without a point on Wednesday.
- Montreal’s goals came from Zack Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen on Wednesday and they will be important again in this contest.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Alex DeBrincat (DET) | Goals | Over 0.5 |
| Cole Caufield (MTL) | Points | Over 0.5 |
| Dylan Larkin (DET) | Points | Over 0.5 |
Betting Trends & H2H
- Montreal is 0-1-0 straight up and on the puckline this season.
- The Canadiens dropped their first game of the season on the road and will look to avoid a second straight road defeat here.
- Detroit went 22-16-3 on home ice last season.
Canadiens vs Red Wings Model Projection
Score Projection: Detroit 4 – Montreal 2
Win Probability: Detroit 58%, Montreal 42%
Final Thoughts
The rest advantage for the Detroit Red Wings should be the ultimate difference maker in this contest. Detroit is probably a slightly better team than Montreal even when these teams are both at full strength. But with Montreal playing a night ago and having to travel across the border ahead of this game, I think that will all benefit the Red Wings tremendously. I’ll lay the puckline with Detroit as a favorite in this game, as they should move to 1-0-0 by beating their Canadian counterparts here.
