The Montreal Canadiens have reached the point in camp where the roster picture starts to sharpen, and Wednesday’s split told a pretty clear story. After Tuesday’s day off, only two groups were left, and the names in Group A stood out immediately.
Group A featured the NHL players, with Jacob Fowler included there as an NHL player, along with Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck, David Reinbacher, and Adam Engstrom. Group B, by contrast, was made up of players expected to suit up for the Laval Rocket or the Trois-Rivières Lions this season. That doesn’t lock anything in, but it’s still the kind of grouping that makes a young player feel like he’s getting closer.
Martin St-Louis, though, wasn’t willing to turn that into a big declaration.
I think it was an opportunity to, you know, get some really good reps at the NHL pace, and I think that’s what we try to accomplish today. How they internalize that, I’m not sure; probably guys took it differently. For them, every day matters, no matter what group you’re in; there’s always an opportunity, and to me, it’s just that.
That said, the coach also pushed back on the idea that a crowded depth chart means camp can’t produce surprises.
There are always surprises. Yes, contracts are part of it, but things can change. There are different ways to make room, but it always starts with the individual who must force our hand.
Florian Xhekaj made it clear he understands exactly what that challenge looks like. He knows there are plenty of NHL-contract players in the mix, but that hasn’t changed his mindset.
Yeah, they have a lot of guys here; obviously, I know that, and I mean, I don’t really care, in a sense, because I know I want to make the team, and everyone’s here to make the team. I think it’s like I’ve been saying: show up every day, show my skills, show what I bring and try to force their hand.
The younger Xhekaj has backed up that attitude on the ice. Through two games, the power forward has shown what he can add and why the Canadiens could use him, but he also knows the decision isn’t fully in his hands. He pointed out that he was in this same position last year, too, and remained with the team when it headed to Quebec City for an exhibition game.
St-Louis also had perspective for the players who ended up in Group B. He said he remembers being in that spot himself.
I definitely remember when they split teams, and I wasn’t on the NHL team, and you know, things can work out. Mentally, you’ve just got to be stronger than your feelings. It’s disappointing, but you've got to keep pushing; things can work out.
The goaltending situation is another piece of the puzzle, especially after Kent Hughes said he would not begin the season with three goalies. With Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler and Samuel Montembeault all in Group A, St-Louis had praise ready for Montembeault.
Monty’s been a pro; he was a pro last year. You know, when he didn’t see the net at the end of the season.
Unbelievable teammate. He put a process in place this summer, and it’s been impressive to watch.
He hasn’t forgotten how to play goal. Monty’s a really good goalie, and he’s had a strong camp so far.
That leaves the situation pretty open on paper, but the math points in one direction: unless the Canadiens move the Becancour native before the season opens, Fowler will likely have to head back to the AHL, even though he belongs in the NHL.
The next checkpoint comes Thursday, when the team is scheduled for a scrimmage. That will give the young players another chance to make their case and the veterans another chance to show they’re still where they belong.
In Other News...
Former Canadiens Are Suddenly Fighting For Their NHL Futures
A cluster of familiar names hit waivers on Sept. 25, turning what is usually a routine roster squeeze into a reminder of how quickly NHL careers can shift. Joshua Roy, Jordan Harris, Sean Farrell and Corey Schueneman were among the players exposed, and for Canadiens fans, the list carries extra weight because these are all skaters who had been part of Montreals pipeline or recent roster picture.
Roy, Harris and Farrell had already been moved on from by Montreal earlier this offseason or in recent years, which makes this latest round of roster churn feel less like a surprise than a checkpoint. Add in Marc Del Gaizo and William Trudeau, both of whom were with the Laval Rocket last season and were placed on waivers by the New York Rangers, and the wider picture gets clearer: former Canadiens and recent organization pieces are suddenly fighting to keep their NHL paths alive. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Linked To Kirby Dach As Bigger Roster Questions Loom
The Canadiens roster picture keeps widening beyond Montreal, and Kirby Dach has suddenly become part of that larger conversation. Around the league, teams are watching how contenders and cap-conscious clubs position themselves with the NHLs salary ceiling set to keep climbing, a trend that could reshape how front offices approach player deals in the years ahead.
For Montreal, Dach sits in the middle of a bigger valuation question than just one player or one contract. Interest from outside clubs is only adding to the intrigue around how the Canadiens see his role and how other teams see his upside, especially as trade chatter and contract strategy start to overlap with a cap environment that should look very different by the end of the decade. [Read more 🡒]
Florian Xhekaj Is Making The Canadiens Opening Night Decision Tough
Florian Xhekaj has turned a straightforward roster conversation into one of the more interesting camp questions around the Canadiens. Nick Suzuki and Phillip Danault have both offered strong backing for the young forward, pointing to the way he plays and, in Danaults case, the faceoff ability that can matter so much when coaches start sorting out the bottom of the lineup. Around the organization, the support has been building too, with Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis also noting his consistency and presence.
For a player trying to force his way onto the opening-night roster, that kind of attention matters, especially this late in camp. Xhekaj has given the Canadiens enough to think about that the decision no longer looks routine, and the preseason finale now looms as the place where he can make one last impression before the final call is made. [Read more 🡒]