The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens finish the 2026 NHL preseason with a matchup that matters much more to fantasy managers than the final exhibition score might suggest. Montreal enters Saturday, September 26 unbeaten at 3-0-0 in preseason play, while Ottawa is still looking for its first exhibition victory after an overtime loss to Montreal and two split-squad losses to Toronto.
The biggest complication is also what makes this game interesting: Ottawa and Montreal are playing simultaneous split-squad games in Montreal and Kanata. That means Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson and the other major fantasy names cannot simply be assumed to be at the Bell Centre until the teams announce their groups.
For me, the biggest thing to watch is deployment. Which forwards get first-unit power-play work? Does Ivan Demidov play after returning to practice? Which Ottawa newcomer gets top-six minutes? And which young players are trusted late in the game? In a preseason matchup, those clues can be more valuable to fantasy managers than who wins.
Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Game Information
Montreal’s official schedule confirms the Bell Centre game begins at 7:00 p.m. ET, with another Canadiens-Senators split-squad game taking place simultaneously at Canadian Tire Centre. Current broadcast listings show TSN5 and RDS in Canada and ESPN+ availability in the United States; Montreal’s official broadcast page notes that regional and U.S. blackout restrictions can apply.
Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Fantasy Hockey Matchup Outlook
These teams were remarkably close offensively last season. Montreal finished 48-24-10 with 106 points, scoring 279 goals and averaging 3.40 per game. Ottawa finished 44-27-11 with 99 points, scoring 275 goals and averaging 3.35. The Senators were marginally better defensively at 2.99 goals allowed per game versus Montreal’s 3.06.
Special teams were similarly close. Ottawa converted 23.95% of its power plays compared with Montreal’s 23.14%, while Montreal owned the better penalty kill at 78.23% versus Ottawa’s 75.85%. That Ottawa PK number is particularly interesting for fantasy purposes because Montreal generated 56 power-play goals last season and possesses several players whose ceilings rise sharply with PP1 deployment.
Montreal also won three of four regular-season meetings last year, but that record hides how close the rivalry actually was. The Canadiens won 4-3 in overtime, lost 5-2, won 6-5 in overtime and finished the series with a 3-2 victory. That works out to 15 goals apiece across the four games despite Montreal’s 3-1 record. Montreal then edged Ottawa 3-2 in overtime at Kraft Hockeyville on September 21.
That is why I would rather target offensive opportunity than put too much weight on preseason win-loss records.
The following comparison uses 2025-26 regular-season results.
Ottawa Senators
Montreal Canadiens
NHL Fantasy Players to Watch in Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens
Montreal’s fantasy hierarchy begins with Suzuki, Caufield and Lane Hutson. Suzuki exploded for 101 points last season, Caufield scored 51 goals, and Hutson produced 78 points from the blue line. Juraj Slafkovsky added 30 goals and 73 points, while Demidov reached 62 points as a rookie.
The preseason question is who actually appears in the Montreal half of the split squad. Caufield has already scored two overtime winners this preseason, including both goals after regulation against Ottawa on Monday. If he dresses at Bell Centre and gets PP1 work, his shot volume and finishing ability make him the highest-upside goal scorer in this matchup.
Demidov deserves separate attention. PuckPedia currently lists him day-to-day with a foot issue, but the Canadiens confirmed he participated with Group A on Friday. That makes his Saturday status worth checking rather than assuming he is unavailable.
Ottawa’s fantasy attack starts with Stützle, who led the Senators with 34 goals, 49 assists and 83 points last season. Batherson followed with 71 points, while Dylan Cozens and Brady Tkachuk each finished with 59.
William Eklund is the new name I would watch closely. He scored in his Senators preseason debut against Montreal after joining Ottawa and has already skated in a prominent role during camp. Any indication that Eklund will receive consistent top-six and power-play usage would raise his fantasy ceiling for the regular season.
NHLTradeRumor.com Fantasy Matchup Projection
Because the split-squad rosters had not yet been officially announced when this preview was prepared, these are usage-based projections rather than confirmed lineup forecasts.
NHLTradeRumor Fantasy Watch
Top Five Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens Fantasy Scorers From Last Season
The biggest fantasy contrast is at the very top. Suzuki crossed the 100-point mark, while Ottawa’s leader Stützle reached 83. Montreal also had four players above 70 points. Ottawa’s scoring was more compressed after Stützle and Batherson.
Ottawa Senators
Montreal Canadiens
Injuries and Absences That Could Affect Fantasy Value
Montreal’s most significant confirmed absence is Kaiden Guhle, who is recovering from offseason adductor surgery. Demidov has been listed day-to-day with a foot issue but returned to Group A practice Friday. If Demidov plays, I would watch whether Montreal gives him meaningful power-play repetitions; if he does not, those offensive-zone minutes can spill toward other skilled forwards competing for regular-season roles.
Ottawa also has uncertainty on defense. Artem Zub has been recovering from the knee injury he suffered during last season’s playoffs and was not expected to be ready for opening night as of the NHL’s September 23 status report. Jake Sanderson had also been unavailable with an undisclosed issue, while Warren Foegele had begun skating after an undisclosed injury. Ridly Greig’s absence is a suspension rather than an injury and should be treated separately.
For fantasy managers, Sanderson’s status matters most because he finished with 54 points last season and can influence Ottawa’s power-play structure. Any extended absence would increase the importance of Thomas Chabot and Ottawa’s other puck-moving defensemen.
Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Salary-Cap Snapshot
Our recently updated depth-chart projections list Montreal at a $101,216,076 projected cap hit with $2,783,924 in space, and Ottawa at a $100,454,167 projected cap hit with $3,545,833 in space under the $104 million ceiling.
The cap numbers do not predict Saturday’s score. What they can affect is what happens next: final roster decisions, waiver claims, recalls and the amount of flexibility each front office has if an unexpected player forces his way into a bigger role.
Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Fantasy Hockey Prediction
MY SCORE PREDICTION: Ottawa Senators 2 – Montreal Canadiens 4
I lean toward Montreal in the Bell Centre game, but my confidence is deliberately limited because of the split-squad format. Montreal has already won all three of its preseason games and beat Ottawa 3-2 in overtime earlier this week. More importantly, the Canadiens have enough high-end offensive depth that whichever group stays home should still feature players capable of creating offense.
I expect a moderate scoring environment rather than a wide-open shootout. Last season’s numbers show very little separating these offenses, but Montreal’s superior penalty kill and slightly deeper collection of high-end scorers gives me a small fantasy edge to the Canadiens.
Goaltending is the hardest area to project because preseason workloads can be split and Saturday’s assignments were not confirmed when this was written. That uncertainty makes me much more comfortable targeting skaters than goalies in any daily fantasy decision.
My fantasy takeaway: the most important development tonight is not whether my 4-2 score prediction lands. I want to see who receives PP1 minutes, whether Eklund is used alongside Ottawa’s established scorers, where Demidov fits if he dresses, and which young players are trusted in offensive situations. Those deployment clues can tell fantasy managers far more about October than a preseason final score.
How to Watch Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Ottawa-at-Montreal half of the split squad is scheduled for Saturday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT / 5:00 p.m. MT at Bell Centre in Montreal.
Current listings identify TSN5 and RDS for Canadian viewers and ESPN+ in the United States. Montreal’s official broadcast information says regional Canadiens broadcasts can be subject to geographic blackouts and that ESPN+ carries out-of-market games in the U.S. subject to local restrictions. Radio coverage is available through TSN 690 in English and 98.5 FM in French. Because preseason television assignments can change, verify your provider shortly before puck drop.
For more broadcast information throughout the season, check the Ottawa Senators TV schedule and Montreal Canadiens TV schedule on NHLTradeRumor.com. You can also follow the NHL point leaders as the 2026-27 season begins. While you’re here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other hockey fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights.
The post Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Fantasy Hockey Prediction: Players to Watch, Score Pick & How to Watch appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
