The Canadiens are heading toward training camp with a roster that looks more settled than it has in years, but that doesn’t mean things are quiet. If anything, Montreal has reached the point where the pressure is shifting from finding bodies to making choices.
The first thing to keep an eye on is the contract status of Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj, who are still unsigned before camp opens. There’s no alarm bell here yet.
Restricted free-agent talks can drag deep into the summer, and there’s still plenty of runway for Kent Hughes and both players to get something done. But the closer camp gets, the more those negotiations will stand out.
Bolduc is the trickier long-term puzzle. Montreal has to figure out exactly where he belongs in the bigger picture. He’s still a young forward with offensive upside, and the challenge is finding a deal that lets him keep growing without locking the team into too much money before his role is clearly defined.
Xhekaj brings a different kind of conversation. He’s already carved out an identity in Montreal as the kind of physical defenseman few others on the roster can replace.
The problem is that the blue line is getting crowded. Jayden Struble is still in the mix, while David Reinbacher and Adam Engström are pushing hard for more ice time.
That makes Xhekaj’s negotiations a little more complicated, especially when the discussion turns to role and value.
Montreal would obviously prefer to have both players signed before camp, even if neither situation has become a real problem yet.
Another possibility is a professional tryout contract. Every September, NHL camps are full of veterans looking for one last chance, and the Canadiens could be a team to watch in that lane.
A PTO comes with almost no risk. It gives a veteran a shot at earning a contract and gives the team one more player to evaluate.
Just as important, it ramps up competition.
That matters for a team like Montreal, where young players shouldn’t be treated like automatic roster locks. Prospects and depth pieces still have to win jobs, and bringing in an established NHL player can make that battle sharper.
A veteran forward, for example, could help cover injuries or give the Canadiens another option for the bottom six. And even if it doesn’t turn into a contract, simply having another NHL-calibre player in camp can make the evaluation process more demanding.
Hughes has usually been patient when it comes to finding value, and a PTO would fit that approach. It would be a low-cost way to add depth and create pressure without making a major commitment.
The biggest storyline, though, might be a trade. Montreal still has three goaltenders in Jakub Dobes, Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler, and it’s not easy to see how all three fit once the regular season starts.
Dobes earned a bigger opportunity after his strong 2025-26 season and playoff performance. Fowler is continuing to push toward becoming a full-time NHL goaltender.
That leaves Montembeault in the awkward spot.
The Canadiens don’t have to move him right away. Carrying three capable goalies gives the team insurance, especially during camp. But if another club loses a goalie to injury or decides it’s unhappy with its current setup, the market could open fast.
There’s movement possible on defense, too. Reinbacher and Engström are both pushing for chances, and that kind of pressure can eventually force a decision simply because there isn’t room for everyone.
At the same time, Hughes could also use the flexibility to add a depth piece if the right one comes along. Camp and roster cuts tend to shake loose useful players, and sometimes that’s where teams find value.
Montreal doesn’t need to force anything. The Canadiens are in a solid spot entering camp. But with two unsigned players, young defenders pushing upward and a crowded goalie picture, there’s still a real chance the roster looks different by the time opening night arrives.
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Montembeault had been part of summer trade chatter before, but nothing came together at that time. Now the timing is different, and both sides appear to be revisiting the possibility as Edmonton weighs its short-term crease options and Montreal considers whether this is the kind of opening worth acting on. No deal is in place, but the situation has suddenly become one to watch. [Read more 🡒]