Canadiens 2026-27 Player Previews: Forwards

Caufield remains Montreal’s most dangerous goal scorer. With 169 goals through 368 career games, he needs 31 more to reach 200. Another 30-plus-goal campaign should be the expectation, although improving his five-on-five impact will be important.

Then there is Slafkovsky, who could be the biggest X-factor of the three. He already has the size, strength and skill to dominate stretches of games. Turning those stretches into consistent production is the next challenge.

Demidov & Newhook Drive the Second Wave

If Montreal’s first line provides the foundation, Demidov and Newhook could be responsible for giving the Canadiens another dangerous offensive unit. Demidov showed flashes of his enormous ceiling throughout his first full NHL season and added nine points in 19 playoff games. With a year of experience behind him, expectations should rise considerably. He has the creativity, hands and vision to eventually become Montreal’s most dynamic offensive player.

Newhook enters the season with momentum of his own. His 2026 playoff run included two Game 7 goals, providing some of the biggest moments of Montreal’s postseason. Speed has never been the issue for Newhook. The challenge has been remaining healthy and producing consistently. If he can do both, playing alongside a creator like Demidov could give him an opportunity to take another step offensively.

Danault, Anderson & Evans Bring Stability

Not every forward needs to be judged exclusively by point totals. Phillip Danault’s return gave Montreal another center capable of handling difficult defensive assignments. He followed that up with 10 points during the playoffs and once again showed why coaches trust him in important situations. He also enters 2026-27 only 14 games away from 800 in his NHL career.

Josh Anderson provides something different. His combination of size, speed and physicality remains unique within Montreal’s lineup, and his style has repeatedly translated well to playoff hockey. Entering the final year of his contract, this could also be an important season in determining his future with the organization.

Jake Evans rounds out a group of forwards who can be trusted defensively. He isn’t expected to drive Montreal’s offense, but his versatility, penalty killing and reliability make him the type of player every competitive team needs.

Kapanen & Bolduc Looking for Another Step

Oliver Kapanen and Zachary Bolduc are two of the more interesting forwards to watch because neither has necessarily reached his ceiling.

Kapanen surpassed the 20-goal mark as a rookie and showed he could provide offense without sacrificing his responsible two-way game. His playoffs were more difficult, but that shouldn’t erase what was an encouraging regular season. Proving he can consistently score around 20 goals would significantly increase his value to Montreal.

Bolduc brings another element. He has scoring upside but also plays with some edge, giving the Canadiens another forward willing to attack the middle of the ice and play physically. Neither needs to become a star. If both can provide consistent secondary scoring while becoming more complete players, Montreal’s bottom six suddenly becomes much more difficult to handle.

Dach Faces an Important Season

Kirby Dach is almost in a category of his own entering 2026-27. There is still talent there, but injuries have prevented him from becoming the player Montreal envisioned when it acquired him. Dach doesn’t necessarily need to become a top-six center anymore. He does, however, need to prove he can stay healthy and contribute consistently somewhere in the lineup.

That competition represents the biggest difference with this Canadiens forward group. Montreal no longer needs every young player to reach his ceiling for the offense to work. There will be competition for minutes and roles throughout training camp, but that’s exactly where the Canadiens want to be as they enter the next stage of their progression.