Montreal Canadiens’ 3 Stars of October

October is officially in the books, and the Montreal Canadiens have plenty of reasons to feel good about their start to the 2026-27 season. Despite some defensive struggles early on, injuries to key players and questions surrounding their goaltending situation, the Habs managed to finish the month on a high note.

Several players have stepped up, but three in particular deserve recognition for their performances throughout October. From a rookie goaltender who has completely changed the conversation between the pipes to a young defenseman continuing his rise toward superstardom, Montreal has received some outstanding individual performances. Here are the Canadiens’ three stars of October.

Third Star: Nick Suzuki 

Nick Suzuki might have missed the Canadiens’ final five games of October, but his performances before suffering his injury were simply too good to ignore. Despite appearing in just nine of Montreal’s 14 games this season, Suzuki’ 12 points are tied with Cole Caufield for the most among Canadiens forwards.

Suzuki has established himself as one of the NHL’s most complete centres over the past few seasons, and his October performances were another reminder of just how valuable he is to this team. His offensive production, defensive awareness and ability to match up against opposing teams’ best players make him almost impossible to replace.

Interestingly, the Canadiens managed to win all five games without their captain, an impressive accomplishment considering the importance of his role. However, that winning streak should not diminish what Suzuki brings to the lineup.

Montreal still lacks a true established second-line centre, and Suzuki’s absence has forced other players to take on additional responsibilities. While the Canadiens deserve credit for finding ways to win without him, there is little doubt that Suzuki remains their best centre by a considerable margin.

Once he returns, Montreal will regain its most reliable two-way forward and one of its most important offensive contributors. Even with five missed games, Suzuki did more than enough to earn a place among the Canadiens’ three stars of October.

Second Star: Lane Hutson 

If there were still questions about whether Lane Hutson could replicate his remarkable offensive production from last season, October should have answered them. The young defenseman has picked up right where he left off, recording 13 points in 14 games, making him the Canadiens’ leading scorer through the opening month.

Hutson is also averaging an impressive 24:54 of ice time per game, demonstrating just how important he has become to Montreal’s defensive unit. Whether it is quarterbacking the power play, creating scoring opportunities at even strength or helping the Canadiens transition out of their own zone, Hutson continues to influence the game almost every time he touches the puck.

What is particularly impressive is how quickly he has become such an essential part of the Canadiens’ identity. Despite his relatively small stature, Hutson consistently finds ways to control the pace of play against much bigger and more experienced opponents.

Of course, there are still areas of his defensive game that can improve, especially considering the Canadiens’ struggles in their own zone early this season. However, the positives significantly outweigh the negatives.

With another near-point-per-game start and almost 25 minutes of ice time per night, Hutson is showing that last season was no fluke. He is already one of the most important players on this roster, and if he maintains this level of production, another season among the NHL’s highest-scoring defensemen is certainly within reach.

First Star: Jacob Fowler 

Was there really any other choice for the top spot? Jacob Fowler has been nothing short of spectacular since being recalled from the Laval Rocket, and what initially looked like a temporary opportunity has quickly turned into something much bigger.

Through eight appearances, the 21-year-old goaltender has posted an incredible 7-1-0 record, a 1.84 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. Those are outstanding numbers for any NHL goaltender, let alone a rookie who entered the season in the American Hockey League.