Montreal Canadiens: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Salary Cap: The Canadiens Are Among the Teams to Watch

The salary cap rose from $95.5 million to $104 million this summer. It could have gone up even more dramatically, but the NHL and the Players' Association decided that an $8.5 million increase was enough.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Alexander Zharovsky lost some teeth (and he’s back with a set of dentures)

Alexander Zharovsky will spend the next year in Russia. It will be interesting to follow his performance throughout the season… because he had a very good first season in the KHL in '25–'26.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Hockey Writers / August 17

3 Canadiens Players Who Could Be Wild Cards in 2026-27

The Montreal Canadiens already know who they will rely on to lead the way in 2026-27. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov are among the players expected to drive the team’s success.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 17

Three Players to Watch at the Canadiens’ Training Camp

With the regular season set to begin next month, training camp is practically just around the corner. We know what most of the roster will look like. Some players will be fighting for a spot on the team, while others will be vying for a specific role.

San Jose Sharks News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

Drake Batherson News / Dose.ca / August 17

Drake Batherson: The Canadiens will likely want to give him what he wants

Kent Hughes’ search for a top-6-caliber player (or two) continues. The Habs' GM is likely exploring every possible option, including those that are probably a little less realistic, for whatever reason.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Jakub Dobes News / Dose.ca / August 17

Jakub Dobes breaks into the top 10 among the best goalies, according to the NHL Network

The start of the NHL season is approaching slowly but surely. As we wait for the next season to kick off, several sports websites and magazines are publishing various player rankings, including those from NHL Network analysts.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 16

Several CH players were spotted at the LASSO festival

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have truly succeeded in building a core of very talented young players who should make the Habs a competitive team for many years to come.

Gleb Pugachyov News / Dose.ca / August 16

Gleb Pugachyov: Here’s why he played one game in the junior league

Gleb Pugachyov is currently at Torpedo's training camp in the KHL. He could very well make the team, but for now, nothing is certain in his case. Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod has already played some preseason games.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 16

Top Prospects: Grant McCagg Also Ranks Gleb Pugachyov Ahead of Alexander Zharovsky

Yesterday, NHL.com released a ranking of the Montreal Canadiens' top prospects, and let's just say it caused quite a stir. Putting Gleb Pugachyov ahead of Alexander Zharovsky clearly surprised people, since Zharovsky is generally considered to have more potential than Pugachyov.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Sick Podcast / August 16

Out of the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge: An Incomplete Montreal Canadiens Top-6

The week’s hottest Montreal Canadiens topics, served without the sugar-coating and with little concern for bruised feelings. Before the Montreal Canadiens can legitimately call themselves Stanley Cup contenders, despite making it all the way to the Conference Final last season, Kent Hughes still has some work to do with this roster.

Kirill Marchenko News / Dose.ca / August 16

Kirill Marchenko’s agent continues to string Montreal fans along

Since the start of summer, Montreal Canadiens fans have been waiting for management to make a big move—a trade that would significantly improve the team.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

NHL News / The Hockey Writers / August 16

Revisiting Spitfires’ & 67’s 2016 Jeremiah Addison Trade

It’s been 10 years since the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Windsor Spitfires pulled off a move that, while seemingly smaller at the time, became part of the fabric of the organization.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Hockey Writers / August 16

Likeliest Canadiens to Be Odd Men Out in 2026-27

The Montreal Canadiens have problems. Granted, they’re pretty good problems to have, seeing as their projected lineup for 2026-27 is filled to the brim with NHL talent, many a time of the elite variety, as their impressive third-round finish last spring would suggest.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '2008 Week 1 starting QBs' quiz

The 'Last 200-yard rusher by team' quiz

The 'Last batting title by MLB team' quiz

The 'Most 400-yard NFL games' quiz

Ivan Demidov News / Dose.ca / August 16

Ivan Demidov ranks among the NHL’s elite in terms of average shot speed

We all fell in love with Ivan Demidov the moment he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens with the 5th overall pick in 2024. Fans were already aware of Demidov's superstar potential back then, which explains why the flight to Montreal was so closely followed—and why so many #93 jerseys sold out so quickly.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 16

Fantasy Leagues: The CH has four of the league’s top 12 young players

As we know, the Canadiens have an excellent young core. These players are under long-term contracts and will strive, over the next few years, to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 15

Three Questions to Ask About the Canadiens’ Top 6

This summer, the Canadiens didn’t make any moves. You already knew that. Since the Canadiens haven't added anyone and Michael Hage won't be arriving in town for the start of next season, the solutions lie within the organization.

Michael Hage News / Dose.ca / August 15

Michael Hage at center in the NHL: His coach has no doubts

Ever since the CH drafted Michael Hage in 2024, many people have viewed him as the team's future second-line center. There's a need to be filled in the city, and we know Hage has the talent to hold his own on a top-6 line.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 15

Top 15 CH Prospects: Positions 9 through 7

We left off last week with the trio of Tim Runtso, Florian Xhekaj, and Adam Engstrom. No stars—or even impact players—in sight here. At best, they're solid role players who could have a decent career spanning a few hundred NHL games.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Hockey Writers / August 15

From Underdogs to Contenders: The Canadiens’ 2026–27 Forward Outlook

When general manager Kent Hughes and executive vice president Jeff Gorton made their summer media rounds, the tone wasn’t about “learning how to win” or “building habits.” It was about taking the next tangible step in the Eastern Conference hierarchy.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / August 15

Jacob Fowler ahead of Samuel Montembeault, according to NHL.com projections

After discussing NHL.com's top 5 Montreal Canadiens prospects and the surprise of seeing David Reinbacher ranked first ahead of Michael Hage, let's now take a look at the projections for the Canadiens' active players.

Montreal Canadiens News / Professor Press Box / August 14

The Canadiens Are Giving Sasha Pastujov One More Chance

The Montreal Canadiens didn't exactly make headlines when they acquired Sasha Pastujov from Anaheim last month. It was a one-for-one trade, with Sean Farrell going to the Ducks, and neither player has established himself as an NHL regular.

Sasha Pastujov News / Daily Faceoff / August 13

Canadiens sign Sasha Pastujov to one-year contract

The Montreal Canadiens have signed winger Sasha Pastujov to a one-year contract with an $850,000 cap hit. Pastujov was a restricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year entry-level contract with an $825,000 cap hit.

Sasha Pastujov News / Pro Hockey Rumors / August 13

Canadiens Sign Sasha Pastujov To One-Year Contract

According to a team announcement, the Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Sasha Pastujov to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 campaign. Montreal acquired Pastujov from the Anaheim Ducks a few weeks ago in exchange for forward Sean Farrell.

Montreal Canadiens News / Pro Hockey Rumors / August 13

Canadiens weighing sign-and-trade options for Arber Xhekaj, Zachary Bolduc

“If I had my druthers, we did it yesterday.” That is what Kent Hughes, general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, said on July 1 after being unable to swing on a big move that he was looking for.

Projecting Josh Anderson extension with Montreal

The 'Last 70-assist season by NHL team' quiz

Montreal Canadiens News / NHL Trade Talk / August 12

Canadiens’ Two Biggest RFAs Could Be Part Of Sign-and-Trade Deals

The Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan suggested in a recent article that two of the team’s biggest RFA names, Arber Xhekaj and Zack Bolduc, could be on the move.