Montreal Canadiens prepare for home opener against Hurricanes

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis is evaluating his roster ahead of the team's home opener at the Bell Centre against the Carolina Hurricanes. The matchup follows a 6-5 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Several players are vying for roster spots. Florian Xhekaj, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson practiced together, while Oliver Kapanen appears ready to return from a lower-body injury. On the defensive side, Adam Engstrom is competing for playing time, and Kaiden Guhle has returned to full-contact practice following surgery on his adductor muscle.

Alexandre Carrier also participated in practice wearing a regular jersey, signaling fitness. However, Ivan Demidov was notably absent from the ice, potentially due to a foot injury. The goaltending situation remains undecided, with Samuel Montembeault expected to see action following Jakub Dobes' performance in the previous game.