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Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky and forward Ivan Demidov and defenseman Lane Hutson celebrate Slafkovsky’s goal against the Vancouver Canucks (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Every Canadiens Player’s 2025 Christmas Wish List

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Ryan Szporer | Last updated Dec 24, 2025 8:25 AM ET

At around this time last year, the Montreal Canadiens began their ascent up the standings to earn an unexpected but deserving berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So, maybe Christmas wish lists do work.

At least Canadiens fans’ wish lists do come true. Now, the wish lists of individual Habs players on the other hand? Let’s wait and see based on these items that were covertly collected by The Hockey Writers spies ahead of the 2025 holiday season.

Enjoy:

Arber Xhekaj

More games playing with my brother…

Noah Dobson: A chance to play with this Emil Heineman guy. He sounds incredible.

Nick Suzuki: A spot on Team Canada.

Cole Caufield: A spot on Team U.S.A.

Lane Hutson: A spot on Team U.S.A. would be great… but I’ll settle for more points than any other American defenseman. I’m closer than you might think.

Juraj Slafkovsky: Someone with whom to play on Team Slovakia. Anyone.

Sam Montembeault

A long-awaited second chance.

Jacob Fowler: More NHL games… specifically against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jakub Dobes: An NHL team without Jacob Fowler in its prospect pipeline.

Martin St. Louis: Geez, we’re doing pretty well, but, even if you look past the injuries, we’ve got ample scoring, the right defensemen in place especially after this offseason. Even our goaltending was rated highly heading into the season. We should be doing better.

So, scoring, defense, goaltending… what else can it be? I can’t quite put my finger on it. Forget giving me the piece itself. Can someone just fill me in on what I’m missing? Man, this is so frustrating!

Mike Matheson

A local, offensively talented defenseman who leads the team in ice time and took a legitimate hometown discount to stay long term, but still can’t make inroads to widespread acceptance from the fanbase. If a name change to Michel doesn’t work, I’m all out of ideas.

Alexandre Carrier: Some more consistency (maybe starting with defense partners).

Alexandre Texier: A decent French-Canadian translation app.

Ivan Demidov: Better English, so I can maybe understand why I’m playing as much per game as Josh Anderson (14:54).

Josh Anderson: To catch the Detroit Red Wings for first place in the Atlantic Division… and, if it just so happens that the Eastern Conference standings otherwise stay the same for the playoffs, I certainly won’t complain.

Oliver Kapanen

The Calder Memorial Trophy. Clearly the rookie lead in goals gives me an edge of some kind? Right? Right???

Zachary Bolduc: More road games.

Brendan Gallagher: Twenty-six more points. Even 25. I’d honestly be okay with just 24, though. Come to mention it, any points at all would be great.

Patrik Laine: Assuming a new team in 2026-27, one with more of a winning culture than the Columbus Blue Jackets. Barring that, a team outside their division.

Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle

Widespread clarification we didn’t get re-injured. This is the Canadiens maximizing salary cap space. Honest.

Kaiden Guhle and Kirby Dach have been placed on LTIR.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) December 20, 2025

Phillip Danault: Better offensive capabilities to justify a spot in the top six once everyone who’s injured returns to the lineup.

Jayden Struble and Joe Veleno: Better defensive capabilities to justify a spot in the lineup once everyone who’s injured returns to the lineup.

Sammy Blais: Better capabilities to justify a spot on the roster once everyone who’s injured returns to the lineup.

Alex Newhook:

I’d wish for better luck… but I was picked to play with Demidov and was scoring on 25% of my shots before I got injured. How about a quicker return to action?

Jake Evans: Ditto.

Kent Hughes: We obviously need help at centre. I’ve got the perfect one in mind: an ex-all star with significant experience. With me so far? On an inexpensive (but fairly negotiated) contract, who hails from Latvia!

Owen Beck and Adam Engstrom: The official word from management to look for a place in the city… and by “city” we mean Montreal, not Greater Montreal, just to be clear.

Arber Xhekaj: … in the NHL! I mean, in the NHL!