Canadiens vs. Senators prediction: Ottawa favored to win Saturday's NHL matchup [1/17/2026]

NHL action continues on Saturday at 7:00 PM ET as the Montreal Canadiens square off with the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.

Based on the latest simulations, Dimers' advanced NHL model gives the Senators a slight edge with a 52% win probability over the Canadiens.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Saturday's Canadiens vs. Senators matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.

Habs vs. Senators prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using trusted machine learning and data, we have simulated the result of Saturday's NHL game between the Canadiens and Senators 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives the Senators a 52% chance of defeating the Canadiens.

According to our model, the Canadiens (+1.5) have a 69% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6.5-goal over/under has a 54% chance of staying under.

Canadiens vs. Senators odds

We have sourced the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Canadiens	Senators
Puck Line	+1.5 (-235)	-1.5 (+205)
Moneyline	+105	-120
Total	o6.5 (-105)	u6.5 (-112)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Canadiens vs. Senators picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Puck Line	Canadiens +1.5	-235
Moneyline	Canadiens	+105
Total	Under 6.5	-112

According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Under 6.5 total goals.

Canadiens vs. Senators player props

Who will score a goal in Canadiens vs. Senators?

According to our model, Brady Tkachuk is most likely to score an anytime goal in Canadiens vs. Senators.

Our projections give Tkachuk a 33.2% chance of scoring a goal at Canadian Tire Centre, while the star is a 5.7% chance of netting the first goal the game.

Anytime goal scorer predictions

Montreal Canadiens

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Cole Caufield	30.7%
Nick Suzuki	27.1%
Alexandre Texier	26.6%
Ivan Demidov	26.2%
Oliver Kapanen	25.2%

Ottawa Senators

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Brady Tkachuk	33.2%
Tim Stutzle	32.1%
Drake Batherson	28.0%
Shane Pinto	24.2%
Dylan Cozens	22.1%

First goal scorer predictions

Montreal Canadiens

Player	First Goal Probability
Cole Caufield	5.9%
Alexandre Texier	4.9%
Nick Suzuki	4.7%
Oliver Kapanen	4.7%
Ivan Demidov	4.5%

Ottawa Senators

Player	First Goal Probability
Tim Stutzle	6.7%
Brady Tkachuk	5.7%
Drake Batherson	5.1%
Shane Pinto	4.5%
Dylan Cozens	3.9%

Habs vs. Senators game-day updates and essential details

Saturday's matchup between the Senators and Canadiens at Canadian Tire Centre is scheduled to commence at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
• Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Canadian Tire Centre

Conclusion

We predict the Senators, with a 52% win probability, will likely beat the Canadiens on Saturday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Canadiens vs. Senators insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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