The atmosphere in Quebec City was anything but ordinary as the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators clashed in a preseason matchup that felt more like a playoff grudge match than a routine exhibition.

With tempers flaring, brutal hits, and a string of penalties, the ice became a battleground where reputations and futures were on the line. The chaos reached a boiling point, leaving fans and analysts stunned by the intensity—and the fallout was immediate.

In the aftermath, the Senators made a surprising strategic move that has everyone talking, raising questions about the true nature of this rivalry and the risks teams are willing to take before the regular season even begins.

Will the Canadiens respond in kind, or will they put their stars on the line despite the dangers? Behind the scenes, coaches and management are faced with difficult choices that could shape the team’s fortunes for months to come.

As both sides weigh their options, the stakes have never seemed higher for what should be a simple preseason contest. What message are the Senators really sending, and how will the Canadiens answer?

Dive deeper into the story to uncover the drama, the strategy, and the unanswered questions that could redefine this rivalry for years.

Ottawa Senators coach Travis Green (left) Canadiens Coach Martin St-Louis (right)

Photo credit: NHL

Preseason rarely feels like playoffs, but this week’s Canadiens vs. Senators games show the rivalry never really takes a break.

Tuesday night at the Videotron Centre, the two teams delivered a duel as intense as it was chaotic.

Vicious hits, fights, repeated altercations: everything was on display.

Hayden Hodgson notably provoked the Canadiens’ anger by hitting Alex Newhook before dropping the gloves.

Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov left the game following a dirty slash from Nick Cousins.

Hodgson along with Cousins were both fined for their antics during the game.

Less than 24 hours later, it seems Ottawa decided to cool things down. As reported by Anthony Marcotte, the Senators will not dress any players from their main lineup for Saturday’s game in Montreal, opting instead for a roster filled with call-ups from Belleville.

“In other words, the Senators will not dress anyone for the game on Saturday in Montreal.

Will the Canadiens do the same?”

– Anthony Marcotte

A Clear Strategy From the Senators After an Explosive Game Against the Canadiens

By doing this, Ottawa is sending a clear message: they want to protect their key players.

However, that doesn’t mean things won’t get physical anyway. These young players might bring even more energy and intensity as they try to prove themselves to their coaches.

The real question now is whether the Canadiens will do the same.

For Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis, the decision is not simple.

Aligning their best players risks exposing them to another festival of dirty hits, but it’s also an opportunity to prepare the team for the start of the season.

In my view, this kind of situation perfectly illustrates the absurdity of preseason games between direct rivals.

And honestly, I believe the Canadiens would have everything to gain by copying Ottawa, letting their young players enjoy this context while avoiding unnecessary injuries to key players.

We wouldn’t want anything to happen to a Lane Hutson or a Cole Caufield in a game that doesn’t really matter.