Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers Prediction & Picks - NHL
USA - NHL
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by Taavi Pailk | in NHL Picks
In an Atlantic Division clash, the Montreal Canadiens host the Florida Panthers on Thursday at Bell Centre.
Montreal just finished a successful road trip, going 4-1-2 across seven games, and will now try to replicate that success on home ice. Thursday’s matchup is the team’s second game of a four-game homestand and gives the Canadiens a good chance to improve their position in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Panthers travel to Montreal a week after hosting the Canadiens. The teams closed out 2025 by facing each other, with Montreal securing a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory. The Panthers were left frustrated after blowing a two-goal lead late in the third period.
The losing effort in Montreal started a 1-2-1 run for Florida. The reigning champions made a statement with a 2-1 win over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, but followed it up with a disappointing result, suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs to start the new week.
Florida has struggled to find consistency since the holiday break. But better days could be ahead soon, with Matthew Tkachuk nearing his season debut. He is traveling with the team and practiced in a regular jersey on Tuesday.
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Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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6
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106 | 3652 | 34 | 24 | +27 |
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25
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84 | 2122 | 32 | 38 | -25 |
Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers Latest Matches
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
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5/6 (83%)
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2/6 (33%)
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2/6 (33%)
4/6 (67%)
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3/6 (50%)
3/6 (50%)
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Montreal Canadiens against Florida Panthers : Head to Head (H2H)
100 %
0 %
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Players list
J. Dobes
S. Montembeault
N. Dobson
J. Struble
L. Hutson
A. Xhekaj
M. Matheson
A. Carrier
C. Caufield
J. Veleno
A. Texier
N. Suzuki
O. Beck
Z. Bolduc
O. Kapanen
J. Slafkovsky
P. Danault
B. Gallagher
S. Blais
I. Demidov
S. Bobrovsky
D. Tarasov
D. Sebrango
U. Balinskis
A. Ekblad
G. Forsling
N. Mikkola
J. Petry
A. Lundell
J. Studnicka
M. Samoskevich
E. Luostarinen
S. Reinhart
S. Bennett
E. Rodrigues
A. Greer
N. Gregor
L. Kunin
J. Boqvist
C. Verhaeghe
Montreal Canadiens - Florida Panthers Key Points
- Montreal has recorded six consecutive victories over Florida.
- The Canadiens are 10-9-1 on home ice.
- The Panthers have the second-fewest road wins in the Eastern Conference, posting an 8-8-0 record away from home.
- Florida averages a league-high 25.7 hits per 60 minutes.
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Our Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers Prediction
Several factors give Montreal a slight edge in this matchup. They have been the better team this season, with five more points. Martin St. Louis’ men will have home-ice advantage Thursday night, and Montreal's recent form has also been better.
While Tkachuk’s return would be a major boost for Florida, defenseman Seth Jones has just landed on the shelf with an upper-body injury, and the team might also miss top scorer Brad Marchand. The veteran winger was pulled from Tuesday’s matchup against Toronto due to a lingering health issue. It will be tough to match Montreal with a depleted lineup.
Our prediction for Florida Panthers vs. Montreal Canadiens: Canadiens to win.
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