The Canadiens’ Most Interesting Storylines

The Canadiens continue to move in the right direction under Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis. The organization has accumulated young talent, improved its prospect pool, developed their young players and appears much closer to becoming a legitimate contender than it did just a year ago.

That said, progress does not mean every decision is beyond criticism. Good organizations are built by recognizing successes while also questioning choices that deserve scrutiny. As another eventful season comes to a close, several storylines stand out.

Brendan Gallagher

Criticism of an organization is often mistaken for negativity. It shouldn’t be. While the Canadiens’ management and coaching staff deserve credit for much of the team’s progress, the handling of Brendan Gallagher at the end of the season was difficult to understand.

Gallagher has spent 14 seasons with the Canadiens and has built a reputation as one of the hardest-working players to wear the jersey. No one can argue that age and mileage have affected his game, and there were nights when his spot in the lineup could reasonably be debated.

However, when Montreal generated little emotion and struggled immensely against Carolina, averaging just 13 shots per 60 minutes in Games 2, 3, and 4, leaving Gallagher out of the lineup with the team trailing 3-1 in the series felt like the wrong decision. A player who has consistently brought energy and intensity deserved better treatment.

It is unfortunate to see Gallagher leave the team, heartbroken, in that way. But fans will never forget what the Edmonton native has done for this franchise.

Samuel Montembeault

Samuel Montembeault’s future in Montreal appears uncertain, especially after Jakub Dobeš emerged as the club’s clear number-one goaltender.

I’ve been critical of Montembeault in previous seasons, largely because of rebound control issues that often extended defensive-zone pressure. But even then, I never expected his game to decline to the level we saw this season.

The Canadiens eventually called up Jacob Fowler, a move that suggested confidence in Montembeault had eroded. This isn’t a reflection of Montembeault as a teammate or person, only an assessment of his on-ice performance.

With several teams around the league searching for goaltending help, he should attract interest. Edmonton, in particular, appears to be a logical fit.

Kirby Dach

The Canadiens face an important decision with Kirby Dach.

His qualifying offer would be approximately $4 million, a figure that is difficult to justify based on his production and availability. At the same time, Dach still possesses enough talent to have value, either in Montreal or elsewhere.

The Canadiens essentially have three options:

1. Negotiate a new contract below the qualifying offer.
2. Trade him.
3. Let him walk as a UFA.

Of those options, a trade may make the most sense. Every discussion about Dach eventually circles back to the same two words: potential and injuries. At some point, potential must translate into results.

His situation reminds me of former NHL defenseman Sami Salo, whose immense talent was often overshadowed by his inability to stay healthy. There comes a time when durability becomes part of a player’s reputation.

The Rookie Pipeline

The future remains bright in Montreal. After Lane Hutson captured the Calder Trophy last season, the Canadiens once again had a strong rookie presence across the league this year.

Ivan Demidov earned a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team and finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind Matthew Schaefer. For the All-Rookie team voting, Demidov received 195 voting points, just one more than Schaefer’s 194.

Jakub Dobeš also earned All-Rookie Team honours after a standout season in goal, finishing comfortably ahead of Jesper Wallstedt in the voting. Then, Dobeš placed fourth in Calder voting behind Schaefer, Demidov, and Beckett Sennecke.

Meanwhile, Oliver Kapanen quietly produced 22 goals in his rookie season, finishing just one goal behind both Schaefer and Sennecke.

Many expected Michael Hage to challenge for rookie honours next season, but his decision to return to the NCAA for another year changes that timeline. Looking ahead to 2027-28, however, the Canadiens could have both Hage and Alexander Zharovsky entering the NHL and competing for rookie recognition.

According to Quinn Allen of RG.org, Demidov plans to spend the summer training in Montreal once again. Joining him will be close friend Alexander Zharovsky, who is already in the city preparing for development camp before returning for his final season in the KHL.

The Canadiens may not be finished rebuilding, but the foundation is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. With young stars emerging, prospects continuing to develop, and difficult roster decisions looming, the next stage of the organization’s evolution will be just as important as the progress that has already been made. The future looks promising, but how management handles the veterans, the goaltending situation, and potential trades could determine how quickly Montreal takes its next step toward contention.