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Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Player Props for Tonight's NHL Game

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: January 18, 2025 9:32 AM EST • 2 min 61 sec read.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews celebrates against the New Jersey Devils as we offer our Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs prediction, picks, and player props.
Pictured: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews celebrates against the New Jersey Devils. Photo by Dan Hamilton via Imagn Images

Now, this should be a doozy. 

We're all in unfamiliar territory when the Montreal Canadiens host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at the Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, NHL Network), with the former making waves across the league as the best team since Dec. 15.

Martin St. Louis' squad has won 11 of its last 14 games. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the Stanley Cup odds favorites while boasting the eighth-best record.

With the Canadiens playing their best hockey in years, our Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens prediction, picks, and player props expect them to score three-plus goals. 

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens predictions today

NHL odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

  • Game pick: Canadiens Over 2.5 goals (-135 via Betway) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Cole Caufield player prop pick: Anytime goal (+150 via Betway) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Auston Matthews player prop pick: Anytime goal (-118 via Betway) ⭐⭐⭐

My best Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens pick

Canadiens Over 2.5 goals ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Canadiens have played just two of their last 11 games at the Bell Centre. Scorching hot on the road, they'll look to continue that form at home against a Maple Leafs team that's won five of its last six during the club's travels.

Montreal has gathered more momentum than an avalanche at the bottom of its tumble. They've lit the lamp three-plus times in 11 of their last 14 games, including four of the last five. 

Montreal has averaged 3.64 goals per game in those contests, the league's second-most behind the Columbus Blue Jackets. Take a screenshot, as it's unlikely we'll again see those two teams with the most prolific offenses.

The Habs' top players are matching their lofty potential, with Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine consistently hitting the scoresheet. Calder Trophy odds contender Lane Hutson has logged nine assists in the last six games. And Nick Suzuki, the team's leading scorer, has registered 10 points in the previous eight.

Additionally, the Maple Leafs have lost the expected goals battle in five straight games. Joseph Woll, the presumed starter for Saturday's game, has allowed 13 goals in his last three starts. 

A winning $10 bet will profit $7.69. 

Best odds: -130 via Betway | Implied probability: 57.45%

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Best Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens player prop pick

NHL picks made Saturday; odds subject to change.

Cole Caufield prop pick: Anytime goal ⭐⭐⭐

Caufield has quickly re-entered the Rocket Richard Trophy odds conversation after scoring seven goals in his last 10 games.

He's tallied 24 goals and is eighth in league scoring. Caulfield is also accustomed to scoring against his arch-rivals, netting 10 goals in 14 games against the Maple Leafs. He also potted the game-winner in the season opener against the Maple Leafs and has put up eight in his last nine against them. 

If he scores, a $10 bet will profit $15. 

Best odds: +150 via Betway | Implied probability: 40%

Auston Matthews prop pick: Anytime goal ⭐⭐⭐

Matthews has been one of my most profitable prop picks over the last few weeks. When he gets hot, the sniper gets piping hot. And he's scolding hot right now after scoring seven goals in his last eight games and three in the previous two.

Like Caufield, he loves playing his Canadian foe, lighting the lamp four times in his last four contests versus the Canadiens. He's put up 27 goals in 35 games against them.

The price is expensive, but I'm willing to sacrifice a lower payout for the increased likelihood of the bet hitting. A winning $10 bet would profit $8.47. 

Best odds: -118 via Betway | Implied probability: 54.13%

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens odds

Odds via Betway.

MarketMaple LeafsCanadiens
Moneyline-140+120
Puck line(-1.5) +160+1.5 (-225)
Over/UnderOver 5.5 (-130)Under 5.5 (+110)

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens injuries

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens live odds & info

  • When: Saturday, Jan. 18
  • Puck drop: 7 p.m. ET
  • Where: Bell Centre (Montreal, Que.)
  • How to watch: Sportsnet, NHL Network
  • Favorite: Maple Leafs (-140 via Betway)

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Written By:
Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.