Eyes On The Prize
Home ice of Carey Price
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Canadiens vs. Senators: Pre-season Games 4 & 5 thread, lines, and how to watch
Pre-season game 4: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In the Canadiens region: RDS (French) In the Senators region: TSN5 (English) Streaming: RDS, TSN The Canadiens go into their final pre-season games with no Ivan Demidov, who has been absent from the last few practices after blocking a shot with his foot, and no Lane Hutson, who somehow agreed not to take to the ice when his teammates do tonight. Down two of their most skilled players, the ...
Saturday Habs Headlines: Phillip Danault confident ahead of new season
Montreal Canadiens news and notes Phillip Danault was unable to have an impact on the offensively challenged Los Angeles Kings last year, but his run to the Eastern Conference Final has restored his confidence. [ La Presse ] Chris Kreider already experienced the loud home crowd in the pre-season and can’t wait for the atmosphere of the home-opener. [ Journal de Montreal ] How will Owen Beck react if the final decision is for him to return to Laval? “It’s not anything that’s go...
Friday Habs Headlines: Kirby Dach knows who he is
Montreal Canadiens news and notes Finally healthy, Kirby Dach is in tough to win over the fans. [ Sportsnet | TSN | La Presse | RDS ] Arpon Basu thinks that David Reinbacher makes the Canadiens better. [ TSN 690 (Audio) ] Florian Xhekaj is cut from the same gritty cloth as power forward Josh Anderson. [ Montreal Gazette ] Mike Matheson is a poster boy for fitness — not pizza. [ Montreal Gazette ] Previewing the 2026-27 Canadiens and their playoff odds. [ The Athletic...
Thursday Habs Headlines: Roster battles heat up
Montreal Canadiens news and notes With many players making an impression, Canadiens management face some difficult decisions heading into next week’s season opener. [ Montreal Gazette ] Canadiens hopefuls can take a page from Jake Evans’s book and focus less on how they got here and more on proving they belong. [ Montreal Gazette ] David Reinbacher, Florian Xhekaj and Samuel Montembeault are all making their case for a roster spot. [ Sportsnet ] Martin St-Louis says...
Wednesday Habs Headlines: Florian Xhekaj has “a presence”
Montreal Canadiens news and notes The Habs face difficult roster decisions, beginning with Florian Xhekaj. [ Montreal Gazette | La Presse | Journal de Montreal ] Montreal’s late first-round pick at the 2026 NHL Draft says more about the present than the future. [ Montreal Canadiens ] Alex Newhook has a lot to celebrate as he begins his sixth full season playing in the NHL. [ CBC Nfld. & Labrador ] Samuel Montembeault hasn’t given up yet. [ Journal de Montreal ] Eric ...
Bottom Six Minutes: Position battle on the blue line
The Montreal Canadiens were dealt the dreaded injury blow before the preseason even began this year, with Kaiden Guhle set to miss up to five weeks due to an adductor issue. As disappointing as that was to hear, it created an interesting storyline for their camp, as the team would have to figure out who will step up and take some or all of the minutes that he’s usually entrusted with. Four players have been vying for those minutes; Arber Xhekaj, Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble, and David Reinbac...
The Montreal Canadiens are doubling down on the plan
The NHL spent the summer of 2026 handing out money like Oprah was in charge of the salary cap. You get a crazy contract! You get a crazy contract! You get an even crazier contract! Leo Carlsson kicked it all off by signing an offer sheet at $18 million a season, then Macklin Celebrini bumped him at $18.8 million, then Cale Makar topped them both with a record $20.4 million and became the first $20-million man in league history. The highest-paid title changed hands so often you practically...
Tuesday Habs Headlines: Full Steam Ahead
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes Juraj Slafkovský’s usage, the penalty kill, goalies, and more Habs talk from camp. [ The Athletic ] David Reinbacher making the jump to the NHL would fill a hole. [ La Presse ] Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis aren’t worried that their American stars will want to go home. [ Montreal Gazette ] The Canadiens have announced the launch of an educational platform meant for teachers throughout Quebec. [ Canadiens ] Around the League and E...
Canadiens vs. Senators Top Six Minutes: Cole Caufield keeps Habs perfect in pre-season
First period They didn’t have a strong game on Saturday, and now the duo of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj allows an early goal in trois-Rivières. Struble’s pass didn’t hit it’s target, Xhekaj got caught on the wrong side of his man, and William Eklund tapped the puck in from the top of the crease. A pass to the point is picked off by the Senators, and Noah Dobson has to wrap up his man to prevent a breakaway. Ottawa gets a chance to go up two. Some solid penalty-killing keep...
Canadiens vs. Senators: Pre-season Game 3 thread, lines, and how to watch
Pre-season game 3: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: Sportsnet One (English), TVA Sports (French) Streaming: Sportsnet Fresh off two split-squad wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Canadiens have made the trip to Trois-Rivières for the Hockeyville game. This match, and the final two of the pre-season that will also be played in split-squad fashion, will be versus the Ottawa Senators. With half as many players i...
Montreal Canadiens lineup vs. Senators: Lots of regulars in Trois-Rivières
The Montreal Canadiens are in Trois-Rivières for Kraft Hockeyville against the Ottawa Senators for a game on Monday night. There are a lot of regulars who have made the trip to play in the game including Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovský, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson. A few of the combinations we have seen at camp will not be used in Monday’s game, as Martin St-Louis tries to see some other combinations. Of note, Chris Kreider and Alexandre Carrier are not on the tri...
Monday Habs Headlines: Chris Kreider’s adjustment phase
Montreal Canadiens news and notes Martin St-Louis says there will be an adjustment period as Chris Kreider gets used to his new team and linemates. [ La Presse ] Ivan Demidov was in line for a great season, but the chemistry he showed with Juraj Slafkovský could hint at even more. [ RDS | Sportsnet ] Phillip Danault explains the forwards are trying to be more active on the penalty kill, and the strategy was effective in Toronto. [ La Presse ] It’s one of the things the Ca...
Sunday Habs Headlines: It’s the little things
Montreal Canadiens news and notes The Canadiens are making small adjustments after last season’s deep playoff run, with a focus on spending less time defending in their own zone. [ TSN ] It’a a make-or-break season for Kirby Dach. [ Montreal Gazette ] Juraj Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov praise director of player development Adam Nicholas for his role in the Canadiens’ rebuild. [ Montreal Gazette ] The Canadiens’ deep talent pipeline could threaten the very culture that’s be...
Top Six Minutes: Caufield clutch in Montreal, Reinbacher shuts down Leafs in TO
Bell Centre, Montreal: Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Pregame Going from an entire off-season to two games simultaneously seems like we’re going through our own intensive training camp to get into shape for the regular season. Martin St-Louis said this morning that both games will feature goaltenders splitting the games. He also made the groups with special teams in mind. The Montreal group has the team’s top power play players while the Toronto group has the team’s top penalty...
Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: Pre-season Games 1 & 2 thread, lines, and how to watch
Pre-season game 1: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT In Canada: Sportsnet One (English), In the Canadiens region: RDS (French) Streaming: RDS , Sportsnet The NHL is just about to start up for a new season, an earlier beginning for an updated schedule of 84 games. On the first night of a shortened pre-season, the Canadiens will split their training camp roster in half to play two games. The main stars will be staying in Montreal to t...
Saturday Habs Headlines: David Reinbacher out to prove he’s NHL-ready
Montreal Canadiens news and notes David Reinbacher says he’s ready to play in the NHL. Why does he feel that way? “You’ll see this weekend.” [ La Presse ] Florian Xhekaj knows he has to prove he’s better than one of the veteran players to earn a spot on opening night. [ Radio-Canada ] Fans aren’t the only ones wondering what Arber Xhekaj would look like as a forward. Florian thinks a line of him, Arber, and Josh Anderson would be “destructive” and “fun.” [ TVA Sports ] Ma...
Montreal Canadiens lines at practice: Opportunity knocks for Berard, F. Xhekaj
After Group A started things off on Thursday, Group B had some notable line combinations of their own, and it continued on Friday. It would be easy to assume that Kirby Dach, Phillip Danault, Alex Newhook, Alexandre Texier, Zachary Bolduc, Josh Anderson, and Jake Evans would be getting NHL reps, but what was maybe unexpected as that Brett Berard and Florian Xhekaj would get looks alongside with them. Berard and Xhekaj couldn’t be more opposites. Berard being 5’9″, while Xhekaj is 6’3...
Friday Habs Headlines: Training camp opens
Montreal Canadiens news and notes Why Day 1 isn’t too soon to read into the Canadiens’ forward line combinations. [ Sportsnet ] What The Athletic saw on Day 1. [ The Athletic ] With Chris Kreider in the mix, the Canadiens could ice two potent top lines. [ Montreal Gazette | RDS ] Follow Cole Caufield behind the scenes at the 2026-27 NHL Player Media Tour. [ Montreal Canadiens (Video) ] Caufield’s summer mission: ‘get bigger, faster, and stronger’. [ Montreal Gazette ...
Montreal Canadiens lines at practice: Kreider on the top line
The first skate to touch the ice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard on Thursday morning was unsurprisingly Lane Hutson. Also unsurprisingly, Group A had what is expected to be the team’s top two lines along with Hutson. The Groups for the first day seem to give an indication of how the team will line up for pre-season games. On Saturday, two groups will play the Toronto Maple Leafs, one in Montreal and one in Toronto. Habs camp groups pic.twitter.com/QGeO7FqQqF — Eric Engel...
Thursday Habs Headlines: Next steps and higher expectations
Montreal Canadiens news and notes The Canadiens have taken it step by step through the rebuild, but now they face a giant leap to prove they’re ready to meet higher expectations. [ Sportsnet ] Canadiens fans aren’t the only ones excited for the new season. [ Montreal Gazette ] Kaiden Guhle is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing minor surgery. [ EOTP ] Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield land in the top 25 of TSN’s annual list of the Top 50 players. [ TSN ]...
Kaiden Guhle to miss 4-5 weeks after off-season surgery
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that defender Kaiden Guhle will miss the start of the season, expecting him to miss the next four to five weeks. Mise à jour médicale : Le défenseur Kaiden Guhle a subi une intervention chirurgicale mineure au muscle adducteur plus tôt cet été. Le retour au jeu de Guhle est prévu dans quatre à cinq semaines. Medical update: Defenseman Kaiden Guhle underwent a minor surgery to his adductor… pic.twitter.com/Ytu6lXYVBK — Canadiens Montréal (@Cana...
Wednesday Habs Headlines: Taking care of the final business
Montreal Canadiens news and notes ICYMI: The Canadiens have re-signed Arber Xhekaj to a one year contract with an AAV of $1.5 million. [ Montreal Canadiens | Sportsnet ] They also extended Alex Newhook until the end of the 2030-31 season, with an AAV of $5.55 million. [ Montreal Canadiens | Sportsnet ] The Habs also invited 57 players to attend this year’s condensed training camp. [ Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Gazette ] Five stories to follow at camp. [ La Presse ] ...
Montreal Canadiens announce 2026-27 training camp roster
The Montreal Canadiens have announced the 57 players invited to the team’s training camp that will open this week. Camp will open with physicals on Wednesday, followed by on-ice sessions on Thursday. The team’s first pre-season game will be Saturday, September 19 as two groups will play a home-and-home with the Toronto Maple Leafs that night. The team will play four pre-season games before the season opener on September 29, also against the Maple Leafs. It will be the first time to s...
Montreal Canadiens sign Alex Newhook to four-year contract extension
The Montreal Canadiens signed one of their key performers from last season’s playoff run, locking in Alex Newhook with a four-year contract extension at a cap hit of $5.55 million. Les Canadiens s'entendent sur les termes d'un contrat de quatre saisons (2027-2028 à 2030-2031) avec l'attaquant Alex Newhook. The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a four-year contract (2027-28 to 2030-31) with forward Alex Newhook. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/fNbMz9ABrI — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensM...
Arber Xhekaj signs one-year contract with Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed the last of their restricted free agents, keeping Arber Xhekaj in the fold with a new one-year contract. Les Canadiens s'entendent sur les termes d'un contrat d'une saison (2026-2027) avec le défenseur Arber Xhekaj. The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year contract (2026-27) with defenseman Arber Xhekaj. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/EuUVzKjVKV — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 15, 2026 The cap hit is for $1.5 million. ...
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