How to watch Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs online, preview, game time and TV schedule

Could this be the year a Canadian team finally brings the Stanley Cup north of the border? The one team that came closer than any other a year ago, the Montreal Canadiens, begin its 2014-15 schedule Wednesday night as they open things up in Toronto. The teams play each other to begin the season for the sixth straight year.

The Leafs are looking to get back in the postseason after missing out in 2013-14, while Montreal is hoping to build off its incredibly tight loss in the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers. The Canadiens were eliminated with starting goalie Carey Price watching from the press box, nursing a knee injury, but Price is all systems go as Montreal drops the puck on this new season.

For Toronto, the offseason was tumultuous as times, while underneath all the noise, the Leafs made some moves that should help its roster, bringing in players who can help revitalize their bottom six like Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik, and David Booth. Depth is such a key element to success in the NHL, and with Toronto inserting those names, and getting rid of the likes of Colton Orr, who was waived at the end of camp, the Leafs should be more competitive in that regard.

Montreal made sure that much of what made it successful last season would be around this year. The Habs locked up P.K. Subban to a mega-extension this summer, while also re-upping Andrei Markov on its defense. With those two signings, plus the addition-by-subtraction in getting rid of Douglas Murray, and the Canadiens are looking very solid below the blue line.

Up front, Marc Bergevin somehow convinced the Avalanche to part ways with P.A. Parenteau, sending Daniel Briere to Colorado, as Montreal got a younger, more effective forward in that deal. Otherwise, the Habs have a group of exciting, developing forwards who have already proven they can score at the NHL level. Not many players have found the back of the net more over the last three seasons than Max Pacioretty, who paces the Canadiens up front, and will very much be the focus of Toronto's defense tonight.

As the home team, Toronto will get the option of last change, allowing them to match up against Pacioretty. For Michel Therrien and the Canadiens, getting Subban out on the ice against the Leafs dangerous Phil Kessel will be the objective, while Randy Carlyle has always tried to get Kessel out against weaker competition.