Montreal confirms changes for the Leafs showdown, but one big question remains unanswered

The Canadiens just confirmed that Owen Beck is back in the lineup and Jacob Fowler gets the start in net tonight against the Maple Leafs.

The bigger story is who is missing. Josh Anderson will not play, and he has 7 goals and a +8 rating through 16 games for a Montreal team sitting at 10-3-3.

The Canadiens' official account laid out all three changes in one post.

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Beck draws back in after playing 5 games this season, with 1 goal and 2 assists in that time. He was a second-round pick in 2022, 33rd overall, and he has to make the most of this look.

Fowler is the other name. The 21-year-old has 9 appearances this season, and Jacob Fowler's frustration this week was already a storyline before this start.

Toronto is 8-7-2 and sits 7th in the Atlantic Division after losing its last game 2-3. Jim Hiller's group is dangerous at home all the same, and the Leafs have 62 goals through 17 games.

Montreal is 2nd in the Atlantic and 6th in the NHL, with Martin St-Louis managing a lineup that keeps changing at the worst moments.

Can Montreal replace Anderson's goals?

Anderson is not a name you can quietly remove from a top-nine group. His 7 goals are a big piece of a team that has scored 57 times, and someone has to pick up those minutes tonight.

He was already a talking point earlier this week, as Josh Anderson's postgame comments showed.

Beck is not a like-for-like replacement for a 6'3", 225-pound winger who plays a heavy game. Montreal gets a different look, and the Canadiens have to hope it works against a Leafs team that needs the points.

Nothing in the team's post speaks to how long Anderson will be out. That answer matters more than tonight's result, and it will shape how St-Louis builds his forward group going forward.

Quick hits

WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Jack St. Ivany has scored the first goal of his NHL career, putting Washington up 1-0 on Florida tonight. Those never get old, and it's a great way to open the night for a young defenseman.

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DALLAS STARS: Sam Steel is back in the lineup tonight against San Jose, and Colin Blackwell comes out. A small swap, but depth changes like this tell you how tight the margins are.

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EDMONTON OILERS: Vasily Podkolzin stays on Connor McDavid's wing against the Canucks tonight. Whatever the coaching staff sees there, it isn't ready to break it up.

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MINNESOTA WILD: Calvin Pickard gets the nod in net tonight against the Lightning. A big test for the backup, and the Wild will lean on him.

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NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Juuse Saros starts tonight against the Blues, with Joel Hofer in the other crease. The Predators go with their number one.

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Also read on Markerzone.com:
Canadiens without key forward against Maple Leafs as Martin St-Louis adjusts lineup: Josh Anderson is out