The Montreal Canadiens are running into a new kind of rebuild problem.
For years, the focus in Montreal was on collecting young talent, draft picks and chances for players to prove they belonged. Now the roster is getting crowded enough that general manager Kent Hughes may have to decide who no longer fits before opening night.
That shift is why three names stand out as possible trade candidates: Alexandre Texier, Samuel Montembeault and Kirby Dach.
Alexandre Texier looks like the most obvious depth piece who could be squeezed out. Montreal brought him in as a useful forward who can move around the lineup, and that versatility still matters.
But the Canadiens now have a long list of options in front of him. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov are already locked into the top of the lineup, and Alex Newhook, Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson, Zachary Bolduc and Jake Evans also factor in.
Chris Kreider’s arrival adds yet another established NHL winger to the mix.
That kind of depth leaves little room to breathe. The Canadiens also do not want to block younger players who may earn jobs in camp.
If someone forces his way onto the roster, Hughes may need to make space. Texier could be the player who gets moved, not because Montreal must trade him, but because an experienced depth forward could draw interest once teams around the league start finalizing their own rosters.
Montreal’s goaltending picture is even trickier. The Canadiens said they will carry only two goalies this season, and that creates a squeeze with Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler and Samuel Montembeault in the mix.
Dobes enters camp after taking over as Montreal’s top option in the second half of last season and into the playoffs. Fowler is also pushing toward becoming a permanent NHL goaltender.
That puts Montembeault in an uncomfortable spot after a tough 2025-26 season. He has to prove he still belongs in Montreal’s plans, but the Canadiens could also choose to send Fowler back to the Laval Rocket so he can keep playing meaningful minutes. If Fowler makes a strong enough case in camp to stay in the NHL, though, Montembeault becomes the obvious name to watch.
A trade would not be simple. His difficult season makes a market harder to find, and Montreal should not move him just to make a move.
Still, goalie injuries and uncertainty pop up all over the league, and that can open doors fast. The bigger question for the Canadiens is whether keeping Montembeault would block Fowler from taking the next step.
Kirby Dach is the wild card. Montreal has waited a long time for the former third-overall pick to put it all together, but injuries have kept interrupting that progress. He now enters the season on a one-year contract with plenty to prove, and the Canadiens no longer have the same need to keep waiting forever.
There is still plenty to like about Dach. His size, skill and versatility remain appealing, and moving him before seeing what he can do when healthy would carry real risk. But with Montreal’s forward group deeper than it has been in years, he is also a player Hughes could consider if another team wants to bet on the upside.
Kreider’s addition only makes the fight for minutes tougher, and the younger forwards are still pressing for opportunities.
None of Texier, Montembeault or Dach has to be traded before opening night. Depth matters, injuries happen and competition is exactly what Montreal should want in camp.
But the Canadiens have gone from hunting for NHL-caliber bodies to trying to sort out who stays and who gets squeezed out. That is a pretty good problem for Hughes - and it could leave one player on the outside looking in.
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans May Finally Get Clarity On Kirill Marchenko Buzz
The Kirill Marchenko chatter around Montreal may finally get a little less murky this week. The Columbus Blue Jackets confirmed that Marchenko is scheduled to speak to reporters on Friday, a notable step for a player whose name has been floating through trade speculation with the Canadiens among the teams watching closely.
The timing matters because the noise around Marchenko has been building from more than one direction. His agent, Dan Milstein, has already said he does not intend to extend his contract with Columbus, and the Blue Jackets coach and general manager have both signaled openness to player trades. For Canadiens fans, Friday should at least bring some clarity on where things stand, even if it does not settle the larger question of whether Montreal is truly in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Goalie Decision Kent Hughes Can't Drag Out
The Canadiens are heading into camp with a goaltending decision that cant linger too long, because there are three goalies in the mix for one backup job behind Jakub Dobes and the season opener is already looming on Sept. 29 against the Maple Leafs. For Montreal, it is not just a matter of sorting out depth. It is also about finding the cleanest way to handle a veteran presence in Samuel Montembeault, whose situation makes this a more delicate call than a typical camp battle.
Kent Hughes and the front office know the clock is working against them as they try to settle the crease before the games start to matter. Montembeault would need waivers to be sent down, and the Canadiens are operating with the expectation that another team would be ready to jump in, which is why the path forward is unlikely to be simple. However it gets resolved, this is one of those early-season roster questions that can shape the tone of the month before the puck even drops. [Read more 🡒]
Xhekajs New Deal Puts Canadiens Crowded Blue Line Back In Focus
Arber Xhekaj is back under contract with the Canadiens after signing a one-year deal, but the agreement does more than simply settle one restricted free agents status. It also puts a brighter spotlight on a blue line that already had plenty of bodies and little obvious room, a familiar roster squeeze for a team trying to sort out its best defensive mix.
Xhekaj acknowledged the delay in getting the deal done and said the club had been working through moves to free up space before finalizing things. He also left the door open to helping up front if that is what it takes to stay in the lineup, a notable option for a player whose path to regular minutes may be affected by Montreals crowded defense and the expected absence of Kaiden Guhle. [Read more 🡒]