Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky are on track to add another layer of pressure to an already crowded Canadiens forward group, and that could leave Martin St-Louis with some uncomfortable choices before the season is over.
Montreal is staring at a numbers crunch up front. If both prospects arrive before the end of the season, the Canadiens could have more forwards than roster spots, forcing the team to sort out who stays in the mix and who gets squeezed out.
Marc-Olivier Beaudoin pointed to the jam by laying out the names in the picture: Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slafkovsky, Zachary Bolduc, Alex Newhook, Chris Kreider, Phillip Danault, Jake Evans, Josh Anderson, Kirby Dach, Alexandre Texier, Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, Hage and Zharovsky.
That adds up to 16 forwards fighting for limited openings. At least two will need to move aside, and possibly three, which means the battle for ice time and roster space is about to get a lot sharper.
Elliotte Friedman reported that other teams have shown interest in the two prospects, but Montreal expects both to join the organization once their seasons end.
The strange part is that this is happening while the Canadiens are playing some of their best hockey.
At the top of the lineup, there doesn’t appear to be much room for movement. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky remain the core of the offense, and Bolduc and Demidov are also locked into the team’s future plans.
That pushes the real competition deeper into the lineup, where Texier, Danault and Dach could all feel the squeeze. Beck is in that same fight, trying to carve out a regular NHL role while Hage and Zharovsky wait in the wings.
Florian Xhekaj brings a different kind of presence, and his chemistry with his brother only strengthens his case.
It would be premature to start naming the odd men out, but the pressure is real. Everyone in that room knows the forward group is getting tighter by the day.
Neither Hage nor Zharovsky has played an NHL game yet. Hage is 20 and was taken 21st overall in 2024, while Zharovsky is 19 and was selected 34th overall in 2025.
Montreal clearly views both as more than distant projects, and that’s what makes this such a tricky situation for St-Louis.
“If the Canadiens genuinely see Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky in their lineup by the end of the season, they’re going to have WAY too many forwards.”
It’s the kind of problem teams like to have, but eventually somebody is going to have to make room.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern Ahead Of Bruins Trip
Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans were both absent from Canadiens practice Wednesday, with the team classifying the missed session as maintenance following the clubs most recent game. Montreal confirmed the two forwards were not on the ice but did not offer any further detail, leaving the group to sort through a little more uncertainty as it prepares for a trip to Boston.
Suzukis status is the more notable concern because he briefly left Tuesdays game before returning and scoring Montreals only goal, while Evans had already been managing discomfort since Monday. For a team heading into a divisional matchup with the Bruins, any question about the availability of two important centers is worth watching closely, especially with no immediate update on whether either will be ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Caufield Just Sparked A Bigger Canadiens Debate Than The Loss
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What made his comments resonate was the broader point behind them: Caufield wants more accountability from officials and believes they should be able to explain what they saw instead of simply signaling a penalty and moving on. For a Canadiens team still chasing consistency, it is the kind of postgame critique that can linger well beyond one loss, especially when it taps into a league-wide debate about transparency on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Suzuki Scare Had Canadiens Fans Holding Their Breath
Nick Suzuki gave Canadiens fans a scare in the third period, leaving the game briefly before returning to the ice and settling things down in a hurry. Montreals captain has been a central part of the clubs offense all season, appearing in 12 of the teams 18 games and continuing to drive play at the top of the lineup.
The good news for Montreal is that the concern did not linger long after the final whistle, with the team indicating Suzuki is fine after his short absence. Even so, any moment like that tends to tighten the mood around a team that leans so heavily on its top center, especially when he has been one of the most important contributors to the Canadiens attack. [Read more 🡒]