Montreal Canadiens: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

A statistic that says a lot about Phillip Danault

According to the DailyFaceoff website, the Canadiens have EXACTLY the same projected lineup for their first game of the 2026-27 regular season as they did during the 2026 playoffs.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

The Canadiens Must Win Before It’s Too Late

A few years ago, people were saying that the Canadiens' future looked bright. That's still the case, of course. People used to say that the window of opportunity would remain open for quite some time.

Arber Xhekaj News / The Hockey Writers / July 31

Canadiens Need to Consider Trading Arber Xhekaj

Arber Xhekaj has become one of the most popular players on the Montreal Canadiens’ roster since making his NHL debut. His physical style, willingness to stand up for teammates, and underdog story have made him a fan favourite at the Bell Centre.

Zachary Bolduc News / Dose.ca / July 31

SPECULATION: $5 million per year for Zachary Bolduc

Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj are not yet under contract. There's no rush for now. But with the next training camp approaching (it'll be here before we know it, given that the 84-game regular season starts in September), these matters will eventually need to be resolved.

Macklin Celebrini News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

Kirill Marchenko News / Dose.ca / July 31

The Kirill Marchenko Case in Montreal: Dan Milstein Can’t Help But Comment

Dan Milstein is Kirill Marchenko's agent. By now, you know that. In recent days, as rumors about the Russian player have resurfaced in Montreal, the Blue Jackets player's agent took the time to respond on social media.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / July 30

The CH has the best core of players aged 25 and under in the NHL, according to Sportsnet

The Canadiens were impressive throughout their playoff run. After eliminating the Lightning and the Sabres, the Habs fell to the team that went on to win it all.

Kirby Dach News / Dose.ca / July 30

Grant McCagg sees Kirby Dach on the first line to start the season

The Canadiens were unable to sign a top-6 forward during the offseason. At least, not yet. On Thursday night, Grant McCagg revealed his projected lineup for the Canadiens at the start of the upcoming season.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / July 30

Season 26-27: My Expectations for Suzuki, Caufield, and Slafkovsky

The Canadiens were able to achieve so much success last season in part thanks to the brilliance of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky. The three players, who play on the same line (Slaf played a bit with Ivan Demidov on the second line, but anyway), had their best seasons ever in the National Hockey League.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / July 30

New dad? No problem: Monty is already back in training

Yesterday, we learned that Samuel Montembeault has become a dad. His wife announced the news via an Instagram post, saying she was happy to celebrate her new baby's first week.

Arber Xhekaj News / NHL Trade Talk / July 30

Multiple Teams Want Xhekaj — Montreal Holding Firm on Trade Stance

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj remains unsigned, which has apparently opened the door for rival GMs to dial up Kent Hughes and explore what it might cost to acquire him in a trade.

Nick Suzuki News / Dose.ca / July 30

Here’s what Nick Suzuki needs to work on this summer (according to Pierre McGuire)

Nick Suzuki just had the best season of his career, racking up 101 points (in 82 games). The Canadiens' captain has established himself as one of the NHL's best players, while also being utilized in every situation by Martin St-Louis.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Hockey Writers / July 30

3 Early Targets for the Canadiens in the 2027 NHL Draft

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft has been completed a bit over a month ago, but that does not mean NHL teams have stopped preparing for the next one. Scouts are already spending countless hours watching the players eligible for the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, trying to identify the next wave of talent before the rest of the league catches up.

Kirill Marchenko News / Dose.ca / July 30

'I don’t know if Kirill Marchenko is a good fit for the Canadiens.'

Kirill Marchenko is the hottest name in Montreal right now. I wonder why… He's not a perfect player—he wasn't the Blue Jackets' best player when the team was trying to make a push for the playoffs in recent months.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'Most playoff games by NBA team' quiz

The '4-TD, 0-INT NFL games' quiz

The 'Most NBA Finals points' quiz

The 'Most passing-TD's by NFL team' quiz

Michael Hage News / Dose.ca / July 30

Michael Hage: An Injury That Could Prove Costly

Last spring, the Canadiens were ready to sign Michael Hage to an NHL contract. Because he wasn't in top physical shape (he finished his NCAA season sidelined by an injury), he wasn't able to play in the playoffs with the Habs—or even the Rocket.

Samuel Montembeault News / Dose.ca / July 30

Samuel Montembeault has become a dad

Samuel Montembeault's future in Montreal remains unclear. In the meantime, the goaltender continues to train in Brossard and had a wonderful moment last week.

Jacob Fowler News / The Sick Podcast / July 29

Montreal Canadiens Role Profiles: Jacob Fowler

As we get into the dog days of summer and until training camp, thesickpodcast.com will profile Montreal Canadiens players based on their expected role for the 2026-27 NHL season.

Sasha Pastujov News / NHL Trade Talk / July 29

The Canadiens See Something Others Missed in Sasha Pastujov

The Montreal Canadiens getting Sasha Pastujov from the Anaheim Ducks is one of those trades that doesn’t scream “big splash.” However, it probably matters more than it looks on the surface—especially if you’re watching Montreal’s long game.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / July 29

Jake Allen didn’t like the love triangle in Montreal (and he made sure to point that out)

In his final season with the Canadiens, Jake Allen played a total of 21 games. But it's worth noting that in '23–'24, the Habs decided to stick with three goalies for a long time.

Montreal Canadiens News / Dose.ca / July 29

Contract: An Intriguing Theory About Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj

Right now, Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj are restricted free agents. The Canadiens can't lose them without having the right to counter. But if the season started today, they wouldn't be able to play in any games.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Sick Podcast / July 29

The Blue Line Battle Within The Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have spent years searching for quality on the blue line. Today, they have something that every successful organization eventually hopes to have instead: problems.

Montreal Canadiens News / The Hockey Writers / July 28

5 Canadiens Chasing Milestones in 2026-27

While team success will remain the Montreal Canadiens’ top priority in 2026-27, several key players will also have the opportunity to reach significant career milestones along the way.

NHL News / Pro Hockey Rumors / July 27

Canadiens, Ducks Complete Minor Swap

The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have acquired forward Sean Farrell from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Sasha Pastujov. Both players remain without contracts for the 2026-27 season. Farrell, 24, used to be an intriguing prospect for the Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens News / Daily Faceoff / July 27

2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Montreal Canadiens’ Top 10

Welcome back. It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Samuel Montembeault News / NHLFanCentral / July 26

Montreal Canadiens stuck with Sam Montembeault as goaltending situation shifts

The Montreal Canadiens may be stuck with goaltender Sam Montembeault this season. The team reportedly had been exploring a trade for him, but interest has been minimal so far. This situation leaves Montreal facing a crowded goaltending situation heading into the training sessions.

Lane Hutson News / NHL Trade Talk / July 25

Everyone Saw Lane Hutson’s Skill: The Playoffs Showed More

Chris Pronger wasn’t exactly subtle when he talked about Lane Hutson earlier this season. The Hall of Famer basically called Hutson a water bug. His arms and legs were flying everywhere, tons of energy, but not always with a clear sense of direction.