It's a new year, and the Carolina Hurricanes are only looking forward on New Year's Day. The Canes ended 2025 with one of their most disappointing performances of the season, falling into an early hole that snowballed out of control for 40 minutes. While they weren't shut out by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the group offered little resistance in a 5-1 loss.
With their first outing of 2026 on Thursday's docket, the Canes will turn to Brandon Bussi as they face a tough start to January. Along with the Canadiens tonight, the Canes must contend with their second back-to-back of the week against Colorado and New Jersey before beginning next week against the Stars. January 1 could set the tone for the rest of the month.
On the Other Side: Montreal Canadiens
After three consecutive last place finishes in the Atlantic Division, the Montreal Canadiens finally showed what they had been building last season. They fought off competition for the final spot in the Eastern Conference to qualify for the postseason for the first time since their run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. The Habs were quickly dispatched by Washington, but it provided valuable experience.
Montreal's offseason wasn't too flashy, outside of adding Noah Dobson, of course. Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson earned big paydays after signing long-term extensions. They also acquired Phillip Danault, bringing back a piece from that magical 2021 run. It all seems to be working out just fine, with the Canadiens holding a Top 3 spot in the division as the year begins.
A major reason for their sustained success is one of the most exciting offenses in the league. Their core is very young, with each of their top seven scorers aged 26 or younger. Their power play is also one of the best in the league. However, they remain a work in progress defensively, especially with some uncertainty between the pipes.
Last season: The Canadiens won two of the three meetings, with the home team victorious in all three encounters. Samuel Montembeault shut out the Canes in late February in a 4-0 Montreal win, but the Canes countered with a 4-1 triumph in Raleigh a month later behind three points from Jackson Blake. The Habs beat the Canes in their season finale, 4-2, to clinch a playoff spot.
Canadiens to Watch
Nick Suzuki: With Canada's Olympic roster announced on Friday, Montreal's captain was one of the 25 players selected. Suzuki was snubbed last February, but his consistency rarely falters. He leads the Canadiens in points this season (44), including a team-high 21 points on the power play. With his spot secured for Italy, I want to see how he celebrates in his first game.
Ivan Demidov: When Demidov signed his entry-level deal at the end of last season, it was a big deal. In his first full campaign, there hasn't been much slowing him down. Demidov leads all rookies with 33 points, posting a rookie-best 23 assists and sitting third in goals (10). He enters the night with points in four straight contests (3 goals, 4 assists).
Hurricanes to Watch
Sebastian Aho: With each teams' top-line center heading to the Olympics, this is going to be a big matchup to watch all night. Which Olympian will be more dynamic and impactful for their team? Aho started to find his game at the end of December, and this is around the time of year when we see him start to take off. Not to mention, the history he has with Montreal.
Logan Stankoven: Since Seth Jarvis's injury in Sunrise, there has been a lot of tinkering with the forward lines. Over the last few games, Stankoven has moved from line to line as the Canes try and find a perfect fit. He began the week on Aho's wing but has since been moved to the fourth line. I'd like to see a big response from him tonight.