Training: Here Are the Canadiens’ Special Units

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Training: Here Are the Canadiens’ Special Units

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Sep 25, 2026 2:27 PM ET

This morning, during practice, the Canadiens worked on special teams.

Naturally, you won't be surprised to learn that the five regular members of the first power-play unit were in their usual positions this morning.

Anything else would have been surprising.

It's also worth noting that Chris Kreider practiced on the penalty kill with Jake Evans, Mike Matheson, and Noah Dobson. So he worked with three of the team's big names on the PK.

Is it because the coach wants to test this combination? Or because they just wanted to test Kreider on the penalty kill and, as it happened, that ended up being with Evans?

Colors = special teams

PP1: Slaf – Suz – Demidov
– Caufield – Hutson

PK1: Evans – Kreider
– Dobson – Matheson@DLCoulisses
pic.twitter.com/e7BHijysJn

— Marc-Olivier Cook (@Cook_Marco) September 25, 2026

If we need to analyze the penalty kill in detail, the same goes for the second power play.

But that doesn't stop us from talking about it.

Without Noah Dobson, Chris Kreider, and Alex Newhook—three players who have been practicing on the penalty kill—we can't say that the #2 power play looks like what we'll see at the start of the season.

But as my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook pointed out, we can expect Zachary Bolduc, Adam Engstrom, Kirby Dach, Florian Xhekaj, and Alexandre Texier to play together tomorrow when the Sens are on the penalty kill.

PP2 (which I have a feeling we might see as PP1 tomorrow in Ottawa):

Dach – Florian – Texier
Bolduc – Engstrom

Kapanen, Newhook, Struble, and Reinbacher make up the other PK unithttps://t.co/cVrRmOoaNQ

— Marc-Olivier Cook (@Cook_Marco) September 25, 2026

Bolduc, Dobson, Kreider, and Newhook should form the core of the second power-play unit when the regular season starts next Tuesday. We'll see who else joins them.

But in the meantime, we're adapting to training camp and trying things out. That's what training camp is for.

In a nutshell

– Wow.

After practice, Phillip Danault takes a few minutes to show Florian Xhekaj a few tips on faceoffs. @DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #Danault #Xhekaj #NHL pic.twitter.com/MP9CEjoz18

— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 25, 2026

– Well done.

Did someone say “snacks”??

Did someone say snacks??#GoHabsGo | @FordCanada pic.twitter.com/4CXi1H8kCO

— Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) September 25, 2026

– Interesting.

The Habs' new assistant coach, Derek Lalonde, is the one “leading” the penalty kill drill.

I like his poise.

Here, he's taking the time to coach David Reinbacher. pic.twitter.com/20AsQju8bJ

— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) September 25, 2026

– New agent for Alexander Nikishin.