2026-27 NHL team preview: Montreal Canadiens

Sep 8, 2026, 09:00 EDT

2026-27 NHL team preview: Montreal Canadiens

Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LAST SEASON

The Montreal Canadiens entered the 2025-2026 season with high hopes. After missing three straight playoff appearances, the team registered 40 wins for the first time since 2018-19 in 2024-25. They ultimately lost in the first round against the Washington Capitals but it was still a very positive sign of the future for a team with a proud history. This past season, with coach Martin St. Louis running the show, the Habs came third in the Atlantic Division with 48 wins. That was the most the team had since cracking 50 over a decade ago.

Still, the playoffs were going to be a completely different animal, and Montreal entered as the lower seed against Tampa Bay, despite both teams finishing with 106 points. The Habs struck first in the series before both teams ended up trading victories the rest of the way. That resulted in a thrilling Game 7 where Montreal didn’t even get a shot in the second period. The Canadiens were outshot 29-9, but a legendary performance from goaltender Jakub Dobeš meant the Habs were off to this second round for the first time since 2021.

Montreal then met up with Buffalo, who took an early 1-0 series lead. But a pair of victories in Game 2 and Game 3 put the Habs in front before the two teams swapped results the rest of the way. Game 7 required overtime, but Alex Newhook was in the right spot at the right time to send the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final. Montreal dominated Game 1 against Carolina, but their luck ultimately ran out with four consecutive losses to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.

It might have been a disappointing end, but the future looks bright. And, hopefully, the club can continue to build upon that this season.

KEY ADDITIONS & DEPARTURES

Additions

Hunter McKown, C
Samuel Poulin, LW
Brett Berard, LW
Sasha Pastujov, RW
Reilly Walsh, D
Ethan Samson, D
Maksymilian Szuber, D

Departures

Joe Veleno, C (NYR)
Sean Farrell, C (ANA)
Brendan Gallagher, RW (VAN)
Sammy Blais, LW (OTT)
Luke Tuch, LW (CBJ)
Joshua Roy, LW (UTA)
William Trudeau, D (NYR)
Marc Del Gaizo, D (NYR)

OFFENSE

Montreal’s top three forwards – Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský – are all coming off career years. After a few seasons wondering when Caufield would break through for 50 goals, he registered 51 to establish himself as one of the league’s most lethal shooters last year. He just missed out on the Rocket Richard, but he’ll be in that conversation again this season. Suzuki, meanwhile, cracked the 100-point barrier for the first time while winning some difficult defensive matchups on a nightly basis. He was Montreal’s MVP last year – he’s a truly complete center, deserving of your attention (more on that later).

By contrast, both of their seasons makes Slafkovský’s 73-point campaign look pedestrian. But the Slovak star still set career-highs in both goals (30) and total points, further living up to the hype after he went first overall in 2022. Slafkovský’s physical game continues to improve, and he’s difficult to steal the puck off, too.

The arrival of Ivan Demidov excited Habs fans, and he impressed with a 19-goal, 62-point rookie season. Most years, that would have been enough to secure the Calder – Matthew Schaefer had different plans, though. Demidov will need to continue building out his physical and defensive games, but he already looks like the high-output creative winger many scouts projected him to be.

The Canadiens didn’t do much to address its forward group over the summer, which means having some lackluster center depth. Michael Hage seems primed to earn that No. 2 gig once he finishes at the University of Michigan (perhaps we see him in the playoffs?) but that’ll likely mean either Oliver Kapanen or Jake Evans will handle the duties for now. Evans is a strong defensive center who thrives in a bottom-six role. Kapanen, meanwhile, had 22 goals as a rookie, which was wicked. He’s still a bit inconsistent, but he still performed better than most would have expected out of an under-the-radar first-year NHLer.

Alex Newhook should continue in a second-line role – and, man, imagine if he can replicate his playoff success. He missed half the season due to injury, but was on pace for over 50 points. Come playoff time, though, he was a whole other beast. The St. John’s, Newfoundland native had six goals over a five-game stretch, which helped eliminate Tampa Bay and gave them key wins over Buffalo. He eventually fell flat against Carolina, but he was absolutely buzzing against Buffalo. If the 2022 Stanley Cup champion can find that momentum again, he’ll be stout.

The rest of Montreal’s bottom-six has a bit of everything. Zach Bolduc brings energy and a decent shot. Josh Anderson loves to bring the boom, and he always gives a full effort, even if he can’t produce as much as he was once capable of. Alexandre Texier should bring some flash to the team’s depth, but don’t expect a ton of points. Phillip Danault is still excellent in the faceoff dot and his own zone, but his offensive game took a large step backward last season.

For years, we wondered when Montreal’s top young talents would take the next step forward offensively. That finally happened. Now it’s time for the rest of the depth to stand up and build one of the toughest teams in the East.

DEFENSE

Let’s start with the obvious: Lane Hutson is the star yet again. As a rookie, his version of defense was controlling the puck so frequently and effectively that opponents couldn’t steal it off him. Last year, though, his defensive metrics were actually among the best in the league, going from a -4.7 defensive GAR in 2024-25 vs. 4 in 2025-26. Hutson is absolutely one of the top candidates for the Norris Trophy this year, and should have no problems cracking the 75-point barrier once again. Heck, don’t be surprised if he ends up leading the defenseman scoring race. Just to prove how good Hutson was: his all-strengths goals above replacement of 30.2 was lightyears ahead of anyone else on Montreal, with Alex Carrier sitting second at 4.3. And he didn’t miss a single game, either.

Kaiden Guhle has struggled to stay healthy through his career, surpassing the 60-game threshold just once. But when he’s out there, he’s a key part of the team’s success. He’s capable of playing 20 minutes a night and never really looking out of place. He has a solid 6-foot-3 frame that he isn’t afraid to let loose, regardless of competition. He was the only other Canadiens defender outside of Hutson to register a defensive GAR over 0.4 last year, finishing with 1.0. It’s nothing crazy, by any means, but he was solid, nonetheless.

The Canadiens brought in Noah Dobson last summer to provide offense, and he delivered. He finished the regular season with 47 points, giving the Canadiens another puck-mover behind Hutson. He was counted on to be the top offensive defenseman with the New York Islanders in the past, but seemed to play a more rounded role with the Habs last year as he wasn’t relied on in every situation. The Habs are definitely better with Dobson in the lineup than without him.

Mike Matheson’s best days are behind him, but he’s still a solid, two-way veteran defender. He finished with just under 40 points while also being strong defensively and physically. There’s nothing overly flashy about his game, but Matheson’s steady presence is something Habs fans appreciate at this stage of his career, especially given all the trade rumors the past few years.

Going back to Carrier, he had a bit of a roller coaster of a season. He was often criticized for his game-to-game consistency, but, for the most part, he was a steady presence that gave the team some decent depth. The same goes for Jayden Struble, who seemed to really come alive in the second half of the season after not having much of a role to start with early on.

The real wild card is Arber Xhekaj. Fans love him for his physicality, but he wasn’t as impactful this past season. It’s hard to justify a full-time role for him at this point, despite being a fan favorite. With David Reinbacher and Adam Engström breathing down his neck, Xhekaj needs a huge training camp to salvage his time in the 514.

The Canadiens finished 18th in shots per game last year at 27.8. That’s about average when you consider one fewer shot a game would have put them 10th. There’s still room for this group to grow, but given that one of the team’s top blueliners – Guhle – missed half the season, we’ll give them some leniency here. Let’s see if the young group can take another step forward.

GOALTENDING

Jakub Dobeš went from an underrated rookie backup to one of the key reasons why the Canadiens found themselves battling for a Stanley Cup Final berth last season. He was incredible after the Olympic break, going 11-5 with a surface-level .916 save percentage, while also sitting top 10 in most major analytical categories. He only lost two regulation games in a row once during the regular season, and that ability to bounce-back after a loss made him so dangerous. Is it a crazy thought to consider him a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate this year? Maybe we’re jumping the gun a little too early here, but his competitive nature and great glove hand is something goalie coaches are actively trying to instil into young goalies.

If all else fails, Jacob Fowler is ready for the big show. Fowler enters the 2026-27 season as the top goaltending prospect in the world. At 21 years old, he earned his first NHL call up and didn’t disappoint, essentially helping to push former starter Samuel Montembeault out of a job. Fowler is applauded for his incredible play reads, quick movements and fantastic hands and skating. Fowler is easily the most skilled Canadiens goalie prospect they’ve had in close to 20 years. Dobeš might look like a legit No. 1 goalie, and could be for a few years. But Fowler is going to push him every single night – and that’s huge.

Speaking of Montembeault, what does the club do with him? The 29-year-old veteran had some outstanding underlying numbers for a few years, but left so much to be desired this past year (and ultimately lost out on an Olympic roster spot). The Bécancour, Quebec native has another year on his contract at $3.15 million, which isn’t a huge hit for another team to take on via trade (or even claim him on waivers). The Canadiens won’t want him sitting around every night, and that’s not fair to the pending UFA, either. Don’t be surprised if he’s on the move during training camp.

The Canadiens only have one other goalie signed throughout the system: veteran Kaapo Kähkönen. The 30-year-old showed some real promise in San Jose and Minnesota about half a decade ago, but has primarily plied his trade in the AHL. He was solid last year in Laval and will continue to handle starting duties there, but he’s capable of stealing a game or two if needed in the NHL.

COACHING

When Martin St. Louis took over, the Canadiens were fresh into their rebuild, and his job was to get the most out of his young players. He made the playoffs in his third full year as coach and took another step forward with the two playoff round victories last season. By all accounts, it’s been a successful run for the Hockey Hall of Famer who had no previous NHL coaching experience before taking the gig at the Bell Centre.

St. Louis has often been cited as one of the better mentors for his ability to build confidence in his young stars and it’s really starting to pay off. But even the younger players are starting to reach veteran status at this point, so it’s up to St. Louis to help bring this group to the next stage. They’re obviously a playoff contender, but now they need to become a true Stanley Cup threat. As Montreal continues to battle with the game’s elite, decisions are going to be heavily scrutinized if things fall apart. Expectations are always high in Montreal, and after last year’s run, that’s not going to change. So far, St. Louis hasn’t met a challenge he hasn’t been able to deal with, but it’s only going to get harder from here. Let’s see if he’s up for it.

ROOKIES

Don’t expect a ton of new blood to earn playing time this year. The obvious choice is Fowler, who enters the season as one of the most exciting young goalies in the game. We’ll likely see Owen Beck get another call-up in a bottom-six role if injuries arise; he’s not flashy, but he’s smart, skates well, works hard and can get the job done in limited minutes.

Defensively, Reinbacher looks primed for an extended look with the big club. He’s still one of Montreal’s top prospects despite his stock definitely falling since the 2023 NHL Draft. Still, he’s a solid puck-mover who handles decisions under pressure quite nicely. If Reinbacher isn’t the answer, Engström had a great season in Laval while also skating in 15 games with the big club. It seems like the Canadiens definitely like him.

BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Can Dach finally stay healthy? Dach has never reached the 82-game mark in an NHL season – heck, he hasn’t played more than 70, with the most since heading to Montreal being 58 in 2022-23. That has stunted a career that once held so much promise as a 6-foot-4 power forward. These days, the 2019 third overall pick is more of a bottom-six forward who can still produce at a 40-point pace, even if he hasn’t actually reached that total yet. There’s obvious skill there; but the consistency? It’s just not there yet. Hopefully he can remain healthy and finally have a breakout season at 25 years old.

2. Will Montreal’s young goaltending duo pay off? Dobeš and Fowler proved at points last year that they could get the job done. Canadiens fans will fondly remember Dobeš’ playoff play, in particular, as the Canadiens were forced to take down some quality opponents to make the Eastern Conference Final. But is he a true No. 1 goalie? How can he sustain the role over a full season? What about Fowler; is he legit, or is he getting rushed in a bit too early? Optimistically, it’s an exciting duo worth getting behind. But there’s a lot of pressure placed on two guys with less than a full season of NHL regular season game experience combined under their belts.

3. Will Suzuki finally get the love he deserves? There has been a long-running (and fair) assessment that the bar is quite high to be a No. 1 center in the Atlantic Division. Aleksander Barkov, Auston Matthews and Tage Thompson, among others, are difficult middlemen to go up against as frequently as the Habs have to. But Suzuki had 101 points last year, improving his output for the fifth consecutive year. He was dynamite on the power play, great in the faceoff dot and won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward. Let’s not forget some of those shining moments in a depth role at the Olympics, either. Suzuki doesn’t need to improve his numbers at this point to make it clear: he’s an excellent No. 1 center in the NHL, and it’s time other fanbases start to realize that.

PREDICTION

The Canadiens are bringing a largely untouched roster to the fight this year, meaning they didn’t overspend to bring in outside forces on July 1. It wasn’t a great free agent pool, and GM Kent Hughes clearly trusts his group. They entered the rebuild in 2022 and have quickly established themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Anything less than a conference final berth will feel like a disappointment but we should expect the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs to put up a bigger fight this season. The Atlantic is going to be a bloodbath, but Montreal has one of the more talented young cores in the game today. If their goaltending can hold up, they’ll absolutely make it to at least the second round. Beyond that might be a bit tricky but it’s hard not to love Montreal’s belief in their own guys heading into the season.

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