Canadiens: two biggest needs still unmet

However, the organization’s two biggest needs have not been met (yet) this summer.

1. Alex Newhook is still the team’s second center . And if it’s not Newhook, it’ll be Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, Ivan Demidov or Zachary Bolduc. To hear Kent Hughes tell it yesterday, Demidov and Bolduc could be options B or C, if Newhook, Dach and Evans don’t get the job done.

Habs management was unable to improve THE position it needed to improve first. Marc Bergevin kept saying that top-six centers were very difficult to acquire. And he was right.

But as long as the Canadiens can’t count on a true second center, they won’t be a match for the big teams, especially in the playoffs.

2. Everyone realized during the playoffs that the Canadiens needed to get bigger and more physical. It lacked grit, toughness and muscle.

But Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton haven’t remedied this problem. Not yet, anyway..

Armia, Dvorak, Pezzetta, Savard and Heineman left, but only Dobson, Bolduc, Blais and Belzile joined the forward line.

In short, Montreal’s forwards didn’t get the muscle they’ll need to compete with the big clubs in the West and the Panthers. Especially under the lousy NHL spring hockey rules..

We’re really going to have to find a regular role for Arber Xhekaj, to back up Josh Anderson’s strength.

Yes, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have made some good trades (and signings) in recent days, but the team’s biggest needs haven’t been met.

And the group will also lack experience on the nights when things get tough.

The summer of 2025 was supposed to be the most important for the Hughes – Gorton duo in Montreal. For the time being, we can’t say that the two men have worked everything out.

All this confirms one thing: yes, the rebuilding process has moved forward in Montreal, but it’s far from over yet. There’s every reason to believe that the Habs will experience a season similar to their last in 2025-26.

The 2nd center and the grit may not be added until 2026-27. And that’s no big deal, as long as we know and accept it. Fans shouldn’t have unrealistic expectations of their club next season.

The fun part (for real), though, is that there will be more French-speaking Québécois in the line-up. Zachary Bolduc and Samuel Blais (and maybe Alex Belzile) will give their all for the bleu blanc rouge.

And Maritime native Noah Dobson knows exactly what it means to play for the Canadiens.

Extension

With Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia choosing to pursue their careers away from Montreal, Martin St-Louis will also have to change his line-up when he runs out of one man.

Josh Anderson and Jake Evans will continue to be used on the PK, but who will be the other two regular forwards? Nick Suzuki and Samuel Blais? Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach? Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen?

Unless we have a snappy, physical forward on the verge of joining the Habs?