With NHL expansion rumors picking up, the Montreal Canadiens can already start sketching out a protection list - and the shape of it looks pretty clear.
Player agent Allan Walsh recently pointed to Atlanta and Houston as the two cities most likely to be included if the league adds teams in the next couple of years. If that timeline holds and an expansion draft arrives as early as next summer, Montreal would have some real decisions to make. But for a team built around young talent and long-term planning, the Canadiens are in better shape than most.
The biggest early note: first- and second-year players do not need to be protected, which takes names like Michael Hage out of the conversation for now. On top of that, any player with a no-movement clause has to be included automatically. That puts Mike Matheson on the list no matter which protection format Montreal chooses.
The Canadiens would likely lean toward the eight-skater route, even though it limits how many players they can shield. Under the other option, teams can protect 11 players, with seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie. But with the roster the Canadiens have built, eight skaters feels like the cleaner fit.
Up front, the first three names are easy: Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Montreal has made it obvious those three are the foundation of the franchise, and all three are already locked into long-term deals. That group is also part of what makes the Canadiens such a dangerous young core.
If the expansion draft happens next summer, Ivan Demidov would still be exempt after completing his second professional season. That leaves the fourth forward spot as a battle between Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook. A lot can change depending on how this season unfolds, but right now Newhook looks like the safer choice because of his versatility.
On defense, the picture is just as crowded. Matheson is already protected because of the no-movement clause, and Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson are straightforward selections as Montreal’s top two defensemen.
The final spot would currently go to Kaiden Guhle, which would leave Adam Engstrom exposed. David Reinbacher could still remain exempt if he has just finished his second year.
In goal, the answer depends on timing. If the draft is next summer, Jakub Dobes would be the clear choice because Jacob Fowler would still be automatically exempt.
If the draft waits until 2028, though, Montreal would have to choose between Dobes and Fowler, since only one goalie can be protected either way. Dobes is coming off an excellent season, while Fowler probably carries the higher ceiling.
That’s the luxury Montreal has right now: a young roster, a clear core, and enough organizational planning that an expansion draft would not wreck the team’s future. The Canadiens have put themselves in a position where they can likely protect most of the right names when the league eventually expands.
In Other News...
Canadiens Are Taking A Real Risk With Samuel Montembeault
Samuel Montembeault is still on the Canadiens roster in mid-August, and for now the front office seems content to let the situation play out. Kent Hughes does not appear interested in moving the goaltender when the return would be light, which leaves Montreal in a familiar holding pattern: waiting to see whether a patient approach can turn a limited market into a better one later on.
For the Canadiens, the gamble is obvious. Keeping Montembeault gives them a chance to see if his value rises over the course of the season, but it also means carrying a goalie whose performance has already raised questions about whether he can take a meaningful step forward. If he does not, Montreal could end up spending another year searching for answers while the trade value Hughes is protecting never really materializes. [Read more 🡒]
Scott Gomez Still Hasn't Let Go Of A Painful Canadiens Era
Scott Gomezs time in Montreal still hangs over him in a way that clearly goes beyond the box score. The former first-round pick arrived with expectations and, after a strong first season, his production tailed off during a stretch that included a long scoring drought and growing frustration from both the fan base and the local media, especially after the trade that sent Ryan McDonagh to the Canadiens.
What stands out now is how completely Gomez has stepped away from anything tied to that chapter. He has reportedly kept his distance from Montreal-related conversations and has avoided interviews connected to the team, a sign that the experience left a deeper mark than many old hockey stories do. For Canadiens fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a promising start can turn into a painful legacy. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To Another Winger Ottawa May Not Want To Lose
The Canadiens offseason shopping list may not be finished yet, and one name worth watching is Drake Batherson. Montreal is reportedly interested in the Ottawa winger if the Senators are unable to lock him up to a new contract, which would put a productive division rival squarely on the radar for a team still looking to add more punch on the wing.
Bathersons situation has the potential to shape more than one front offices plans, because Ottawa would prefer not to let a player of that caliber drift into the market. If the Senators cannot bridge the gap, Montreal could be positioned to jump in, but the real intrigue is what kind of contract talks are going on behind the scenes and whether Ottawa can keep the door from opening at all. [Read more 🡒]