Game 35: Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Penguins region: Sportsnet Pittsburgh Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Pittsburgh Penguins were doing alright when the Canadiens faced them for the first time this season. They had just dropped a couple of games in shootouts, but those were versus the Dallas Stars (currently second in the Central Division) and Anaheim Ducks...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Zack Bolduc finally breaks through at the Bell Centre. [ TSN ]
Bolduc’s ability to adapt creates an important domino effect for the Canadiens. [ The Athletic ]
Are the Habs misusing Arber Xhekaj? [ Montreal Gazette ]
Lane Hutson has entered the Norris Trophy conversation, at least according to the bookmakers. [ TVA Sports ]
Pascal Vincent praises Samuel Montembeault’s attitude. [ TVA Sports ]
Around the league and elsewhere
...
The Montreal Canadiens have brought back forward Phillip Danault, acquiring him in a trade from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Canadiens have acquired forward Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. News release ↓ #GoHabsGo https://t.co/u7S9L9pJnb — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 20, 2025
Danault has only five assists in 30 games this season, but his underlying po...
On the heels of a disappointing performance against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Montreal Canadiens were back on home ice for a Thursday night tilt with the Chicago Blackhawks. With the visitors missing their best player in Connor Bedard, the Habs found themselves with an excellent opportunity to get a win in their own building, which hasn’t been the easiest place for them to do that. Beating Chicago with the exact score they lost by two nights prior, they got a much-needed boost of confidence...
The Laval Rocket left the friendly confines of Place Bell to head on the road in the midst of what was their biggest challenge of the season so far, without Joshua Roy, Alex Belzile, and Laurent Dauphin, who were suspended for Thursday’s game and the rematch on Saturday as well. That meant the top line featured Florian Xhekaj as the centre, flanked by Sammy Blais and Sean Farrell.
On defence it was David Reinbacher and Tobie Bisson on the first pairing, with William Trudeau and Josiah Did...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Production from Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki has slowed in recent weeks, especially at even strength. [ La Presse ]
Suzuki reportedly sits on the bubble when it comes to Team Canada at the Olympics. [ RDS ]
Could Oliver Kapanen have played himself into contention for Team Finland? [ NHL.com ]
Adam Engstrom is gaining momentum with the Habs. [ Journal de Montreal ]
From a QMJHL trial to a Canadiens draft selection, Alexis Cournoyer h...
First period
The crowd is behind the team early trying to inspire a good start.
The Habs look eager to give them one. Hopefully not too eager because that’s often when the problems start.
Ivan Demidov pulls the puck past his defender to get in on net, but is pushed down before he can get a good backhand off. Moments later a ping rings throughout the Bell Centre as Josh Anderson tips Adam Engström’s point shot off the post.
Cole Caufield picks up the puck behind the net, w...
Game 34: Montreal Canadiens vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Blackhawks region: CHSN Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Montreal’s performance versus the Chicago Blackhawks last season almost cost them in their charge for a playoff berth. The first meeting looked like the most winnable matchup during the year-end road trip that featured stops in Sunrise, Tampa, Las Vegas, and Denver, but ended up being...
William Shoukri and Patrik Bexell teams up to talk about Laval Rocket and the ‘Big Beautiful Brawl’ where Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin (whom we forgot while recording) and Joshua Roy received three games suspensions, but more importantly what has happened to Joshua Roy since his demotion from the Montreal Canadiens? He isn’t on the first line of the Rocket, is that Pascal Vincent’s fault or Joshua Roy’s? However, points aren’t coming at the pace fans, or Eyes on the Prize staff, expected.
...
Game 34: Montreal Canadiens vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Blackhawks region: CHSN Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
It has been a difficult rebuild for the Chicago Blackhawks after they waited too long to move on from their aging championship-winning core. The team that was vying for the title of best in the league for a nine-year span from 2008-09 to 2016-17 saw that come to an abrupt end, not put...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
As witnessed yet again in their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Canadiens are too often sunk by their lack of discipline. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler readily admits he made a pretty costly mistake against the Flyers after misplaying the puck behind his own net. [ TSN ]
With Mike Matheson out, Lane Hutson took on the heaviest workload against the Flyers and didn’t disappoint. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Joe Vel...
Starting the day with a chance to potentially move into first place in the Atlantic division, the Montreal Canadiens were in action against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, they may have been a little late to arrive to that game mentally, as they fell behind 3-1 after two periods before coming on strong in the third. Those strong 20 minutes weren’t enough, as an empty netter would seal a 4-1 victory for the Flyers.
Dan Vladar stepped up for the F...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
A stint with the Laval Rocket could be a blessing in disguise for Samuel Montembeault. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Revisiting the Canadiens’ 2025 off-season departures. [ The Hockey Writers ]
Quentin Miller is making a name for himself this season. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Montreal sports broadcaster Michael Whalen, who died last week at 82, was a master storyteller. [ Montreal Gazette ]
William Trudeau is patiently waiting for his chance...
I’m not sure about these defence pairings Martin St-Louis has come up with, but I suppose we’ll have to see how they do.
First period
Jayden Struble gets caught up ice on the first shift, and Fowler has already had to face one transition rush.
Cole Caufield is given about one-third of the offensive zone all to himself, but Dan Vladar saves the situation.
The checking is tight right now. It’s like watching five fencing matches taking place at once.
Adam Engström is ...
Game 33: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Flyers region: NBC Sports Philadelphia Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
Mike Matheson played a great game on Sunday night, shadowing Connor McDavid for all but two minutes of the Edmonton Oilers’ captain’s five-on-five ice time and holding him to just a secondary assist. The Canadiens won’t have the benefit of Matheson’s services this...
The Montreal Canadiens have dealt with their crowded crease with likely the most unexpected option. On Tuesday, the team sent goaltender Samuel Montembeault to the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning basis.
Les Canadiens ont cédé le gardien Samuel Montembeault au Rocket de Laval à des fins de conditionnement. The Canadiens have assigned goaltender Samuel Montembeault to the Laval Rocket on a conditioning assignment. pic.twitter.com/FnhMAAIOrm — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) ...
Game 33: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Flyers region: NBC Sports Philadelphia Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
When the Montreal Canadiens played the Philadelphia Flyers six weeks ago, the Habs were a different team. They often fell behind in games and then relied on their depth of skill to pull them back in them, tying things up and getting games to overtime. They had overcome...
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
Jakub Dobeš came up big at just the right moment. [ Radio-Canada ]
Goalie talk. [ TVA Sports ]
While the goaltending might have gotten the most attention, the Habs’ blue line has undergone a series of important changes. [ La Presse ]
Youth, maturity, and the on-going, non-linear development of the NHL’s youngest (but not necessarily least experienced) team. [ The Athletic ]
Taking a look at each team’s fastest-rising prospect, includ...
After a two-game stretch where the Montreal Canadiens went 1-0-1 with rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler between the pipes, they went back to one of their regulars on Sunday night. Taking on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers at home, Jakub Dobeš got his first start since being pulled during their blowout loss to Tampa Bay last Tuesday. The hope was that perhaps a bit of time off would give him a chance to reset and find his form from earlier in the season.
He did precisely that, looking ...
The Habs went 2-1-1 during the second week of December, and sit third in the Atlantic Division with a record of 17-11-4.
It started with another full-on embarrassment at home, a 6-1 beatdown courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The Habs then took to the road, with Jacob Fowler getting his first NHL regular-season start against the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Habs hit the organizational panic button – calling up Fowler, Adam Engström and Owen Beck.
All three played in the...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Bryce Pickford has caught fire with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The defenceman is riding a five-game multi-goal streak:
5 MULTI-GOAL GAMES IN A ROW FOR BRYCE PICKFORD!!! 🤯🤯🤯🚨🐅 pic.twitter.com/d0gaJGGXBK — Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) December 14, 2025
Quinn Hughes going to the Minnesota Wild was good news for Montreal because it meant he didn’t go to Detroit. [ The Athletic ]
In Abby Roque, the Montreal Victoire may finally ...
First period
Jakub Dobeš gets the start after a couple of games for Jacob Fowler.
It’s a rough start for referee Furman South as Mattias Ekholm fires a clearing attempt off the back of his knee. We have to hope he remembers which team did that to him.
Josh Anderson goes in on a partial breakaway, but his backhand move doesn’t fool Calvin Pickard.
Juraj Slafkovský’s tips a point shot that gives Pickard more trouble, but the goaltender still makes the save.
Well so muc...
Game 32: Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Oilers region: Sportsnet West Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
It turns out the Montreal Canadiens can’t just abandon their defensive duties with Jacob Fowler in the net and let the rookie save them. They did well in Pittsburgh to limit the shots he faced to start his NHL career, but the New York Rangers were able to test him from close r...
Game 32: Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Oilers region: Sportsnet West Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Edmonton Oilers have had one glaring weakness for several seasons, and that is goaltending. The team has made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals despite the issues in net, ranking 11th of the 16 teams in the 2025 post-season with an overall save percentage of .871. The assumption ...
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Following a brawl that featured several players who had been on the Laval Rocket’s bench when the fracas started, Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, and Joshua Roy were suspended for three games, not eligible to return until after the AHL’s Christmas break. Sammy Blais was also suspended for just yesterday’s game. [ La Presse ]
Without those four forwards and Marc Del Gaizo, who had been hit in the head by Michael Pezzetta to set everything off, the Ro...