Canadiens News

EASTERN ATLANTIC

Oliver Kapanen • C • Canadiens

Oliver Kapanen Making Season Debut Against Sabres

Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (lower body) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He will bump Owen Beck out of the lineup. Kapanen's 2026-27 debut has been delayed due to a lower-body injury he sustained just before the season started. The Swedish forward began the campaign on the shelf after playing in all 82 games last term. Kapanen had a strong rookie year, scoring 22 goals and totaling 37 points. Since he will enter the lineup on the fourth line against Buffalo, fantasy managers shouldn't expect Kapanen to make an immediate impact.

Yesterday

Lane Hutson • D • Canadiens

Lane Hutson Records Third Multi-Point Outing of the Season

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was in top form Wednesday night in a special matchup against his brother, Cole, and the Washington Capitals. He finished an entertaining 5-4 loss with a goal and an assist. Hutson scored an even-strength goal in the first period and set up a power-play goal in the third. With three multi-point games already this season, Hutson is tied for fourth in scoring among defensemen. He has notched eight points (two goals, six assists) in seven games. The 22-year-old has enjoyed back-to-back multi-point outings. Hutson will try to stretch the streak to three games on Saturday against Buffalo. So far, he has registered two three-game multi-point streaks in his young career.

3 days ago

Mike Matheson • D • Canadiens

Mike Matheson to Miss Second Consecutive Game

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) remains day-to-day and is set to miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday against Washington, according to Sportsnet's Priyanta Emrith. Matheson's absence has left a significant gap on defense, as he has averaged 24:09 of ice time in 2026-27. Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle led the blue line in ice time during Tuesday's shootout win over Buffalo. The two are expected to be busy again on Wednesday. Matheson's next chance to return will be in a rematch with the Sabres on Saturday.

4 days ago

Mike Matheson • D • Canadiens

Mike Matheson Misses Tuesday's Action

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) is day-to-day and won't play on Tuesday against Buffalo, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports. Montreal will also be in action on Wednesday night against Washington, so Matheson may have to sit out multiple games. While Matheson has contributed only one assist offensively in five games this season, he will be a big miss for the Canadiens. The veteran blue-liner averages the second-most ice time on the squad with 24:09 per game. Center Owen Beck will take the vacant spot in the lineup on Tuesday, signaling Montreal's plan to go back to six defensemen.

5 days ago

Kaiden Guhle • D • Canadiens

Kaiden Guhle Available for Season Debut Saturday

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (groin) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. Guhle's season debut has been delayed due to offseason adductor surgery. He will start his fifth campaign in Montreal. Last season, Guhle was limited to 39 outings, recording 11 points (two goals, nine assists), 39 SOG, 63 blocks, and 86 hits. Guhle will take Florian Xhekaj's (undisclosed) spot in the lineup, as the Canadiens plan to go with seven defensemen. While Guhle has a versatile skill set, his production isn't good enough for most fantasy leagues.

Oct 10

Samuel Montembeault • G • Canadiens

Samuel Montembeault to Miss 10-14 Days

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault (lower body) will be on the shelf for 10-14 days, head coach Martin St. Louis said Friday. The 29-year-old was expected to make his season debut in Thursday's matchup with Nashville, but he was hurt in Wednesday's practice. Jacob Fowler took the crease Thursday night and will remain the second option behind Jakub Dobes for now. The Canadiens have a back-to-back next week, which could give Fowler another opportunity to play. He had a tough time against the Predators, finishing a 5-3 loss with a .833 save percentage.

Oct 10

Samuel Montembeault • G • Canadiens

Samuel Montembeault Hurt in Practice

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault (undisclosed) left Wednesday's practice early. He appeared to have injured his right leg or groin area. Montreal called up Jacob Fowler from the AHL, suggesting Montembeault could be unavailable on Thursday night against Nashville. The 29-year-old was expected to make his first start of the season on Thursday. Montreal is now likely to go with Jakub Dobes for a fourth consecutive game, though Fowler also has some NHL experience -- he made his first 17 career appearances in the big league last season.

Oct 8

Ivan Demidov • RW • Canadiens

Ivan Demidov Ruled Out for 2-4 Weeks

Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (lower body) will miss 2-4 weeks, the team announced before Tuesday's clash against Carolina. Just a couple of nights ago, Demidov picked up his first points of the season, but he now won't be able to contribute to his team's success for at least seven games. With Demidov out, Kirby Dach is expected to join the top six on Tuesday night. Dach has recorded one assist in two games this season. Montreal's frontline will also remain without Oliver Kapanen (lower body).

Oct 6

Oliver Kapanen • C • Canadiens

Oliver Kapanen Remains Out Saturday

Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (lower body) won't play on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will miss a second straight game. As a rookie, Kapanen played in all 82 games last season, registering 37 points (22 goals, 15 assists). He was Montreal's fourth-highest goal-scorer. Kapanen's next chance to make his season debut comes Tuesday night against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.

Oct 3

Ivan Demidov • RW • Canadiens

Ivan Demidov Expected to Return to the Ice Friday

Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (foot) is expected to resume skating on Friday. On Thursday, he missed a second straight practice after being hurt in Monday's preseason game against the Ottawa Senators. Demidov took a shot off his foot. The good news for fantasy managers is that Demidov is expected to rejoin his teammates on Friday, and his status for opening night isn't in doubt. During his rookie campaign in 2025-26, Demidov led all first-year players in scoring with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games. After proving himself as an elite playmaker, he is looking to improve as a finisher and is expected to take another step this season.

Sep 25

Ivan Demidov • RW • Canadiens

Ivan Demidov Impressing in Preseason

Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov appears ready to take another "step," Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports. The 20-year-old kicked off the preseason with a power-play goal in a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, earning praise from Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis. St. Louis highlighted Demidov's ability to create space for himself and noted that he has "another step" to his game. Last season, Demidov made the All-Rookie Team, recording 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games. He could become a point-per-game player quickly if he continues his rapid development.

Sep 21

Kaiden Guhle • D • Canadiens

Kaiden Guhle Ruled Out for 4-5 Weeks

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (adductor) has been ruled out for 4-5 weeks. The team provided an official timeline for Guhle's return on Wednesday after it emerged earlier this week that the 24-year-old blue-liner underwent surgery this offseason. Guhle was also limited by injury last season, appearing in only 39 games. He recorded 11 points (two goals, nine assists), 39 SOG, 63 blocks, 86 hits, and a plus-five rating across 39 regular-season games. According to Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, he has several options to replace Guhle.

Sep 17

Alex Newhook • C • Canadiens

Alex Newhook Re-Ups With Canadiens on Four-Year-Deal

Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook has signed a four-year, $22.2 million contract extension. His new contract will begin next season, after Newhook completes his current four-year, $11.6 million deal. Newhook has progressed well with the Canadiens but had to settle for just 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 42 games last season after fracturing his ankle in November. The 25-year-old stood out with a team-high seven goals and 10 points in the postseason during Montreal's run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Newhook will aim to build on that momentum in 2026-27.

Sep 16

Kaiden Guhle • D • Canadiens

Kaiden Guhle to Miss Start of Season

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (undisclosed) won't be available at the start of the season due to offseason surgery, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Guhle appeared to have hurt his left knee during the playoffs, but it's unclear whether the procedure is related to that injury. The 24-year-old also missed time early last season and suited up for just 39 games. He recorded 11 points (two goals, nine assists), 39 SOG, 63 blocks, and 86 hits. Guhle is a big presence on defense, but his fantasy ceiling isn't very high given his limited offensive contributions.

Sep 15

Zachary Bolduc • RW • Canadiens

Zachary Bolduc Signs Contract Extension With Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens winger Zachary Bolduc has re-signed with the team on a four-year contract. He landed a $16.8 million deal as a restricted free agent. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues last offseason. In 2025-26, he recorded 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 78 outings and led all Canadiens forwards with 170 hits. Coming off back-to-back 30-point campaigns, Bolduc will look to find the next gear in 2026-27. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect a big leap, as Bolduc will likely be limited to a bottom-six role.

Sep 14

Chris Kreider • LW • Canadiens

Ducks Place Chris Kreider on Unconditional Waivers

Anaheim Ducks left wing Chris Kreider was placed on unconditional waivers on Wednesday with the purpose of terminating his contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent if he goes unclaimed. The veteran forward has one season remaining on a seven-year, $45.5 million contract. Anaheim acquired Kreider last offseason from the New York Rangers. He had a decent campaign, with 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 75 outings. However, Kreider wants to return to the East Coast for family reasons. Kreider's departure also benefits the Ducks, giving the team more flexibility to sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier.

Sep 10

Adam Engstrom • D • Canadiens

Canadiens Open to Trading Adam Engstrom

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom could be on his way elsewhere, The Athletic's Arpon Basu reports. "It is no secret Engstrom's name is floating around out there," Basu wrote. "Teams have asked about him in trade discussions, and the Canadiens are open to those discussions." Engstrom is a highly rated defensive prospect who appeared in his first 15 NHL games last season. He didn't make a significant impact, but Engstrom also had a very limited role, averaging 13:03 of ice time. The Swedish blue-liner boasts impressive scoring numbers in the minors, with 61 points (15 goals, 46 assists) in 111 appearances. He's a pending restricted free agent, finishing a three-year, $2.69 million deal in 2026-27.

Aug 20

Kirby Dach • C • Canadiens

Canadiens Bring Back Kirby Dach on One-Year Deal

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach will play out the 2026-27 campaign on a one-year, $3.6 million contract. He received only a slight raise from his previous four-year, $13.45 million deal. Dach, who was a restricted free agent, struggled badly with injuries during his last contract. The 25-year-old was limited to 37 appearances in 2025-26, totaling 15 points (seven goals, eight assists). He's yet to play more than 58 games in a season for Montreal, so Dach's main goal next season should be an injury-free campaign. If he stays healthy, Dach could become a 40-point scorer while averaging about two hits per game.

Jul 18

Jakub Dobes • G • Canadiens

Jakub Dobes Earns Three-Year Extension From Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes has signed a three-year contract extension worth just over $16 million. The new deal will start with the 2027-28 season, giving Dobes a $5,357,575 cap hit. Last term, Dobes emerged as Montreal's No. 1, posting a 29-10-4 regular-season record. He allowed 2.78 goals with a .901 save percentage. The 25-year-old also performed admirably during the playoffs, helping his team reach the Eastern Conference Finals. With fewer than 60 career starts under his belt, Dobes is still likely to have some growing pains, but he has shown the potential to become a top-tier fantasy netminder.

Jul 3

Ivan Demidov • RW • Canadiens

Ivan Demidov Agrees to Eight-Year Extension With Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov has inked an eight-year, $73 million contract extension. The new contract will kick in next offseason when Demidov's entry-level contract has finished. Demidov had an excellent rookie campaign in 2025-26, leading all first-year players with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games. He added nine points (three goals, six assists) in 19 postseason appearances. While Demidov slowed down late in the season, he's an exciting talent and is bound to become a fantasy stalwart for years to come.

Jul 1

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