The Canadiens came into 2026-27 with real buzz around a young group that took a step last season, but the early returns have been uneven. Martin St.
Louis’ team has had a few encouraging moments, yet some players simply haven’t matched expectations out of the gate. It’s early, sure.
Still, a slow start is a slow start, and a few names already need to get moving.
Juraj Slafkovsky sits near the top of that list. At 22, he’s still one of the key pieces in Montreal’s future, and the upside has never been the question.
He has grown over the last few seasons, and the hope is that more NHL experience will keep pushing him forward. But this season has not been clean so far.
One wrinkle is that Slafkovsky started the year next to Ivan Demidov instead of his usual running mates, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. That matters, but it doesn’t erase the mistakes.
The main issue has been puck management. Too often, he has tried to do too much, turning possessions into turnovers and passing up simpler plays for lower-percentage looks.
For a forward with his size, strength, and skill, the path to impact is pretty straightforward: protect the puck, win the board battles, and make space for teammates. When he does that, he’s hard to handle.
The Canadiens need more of that version.
Kirby Dach is in a different conversation, but the frustration is familiar. Montreal once viewed him as a potential top-six answer, the kind of big, skilled forward who could grow into a major offensive piece.
That vision has still not materialized consistently. He did open the season with an assist against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which gave him a little early momentum.
Since then, there hasn’t been another point, and the minus-4 rating doesn’t help the picture.
Plus-minus only tells part of the story, but paired with the lack of production, it’s a rough start. Dach is also the regular player that has played the less minutes per game for the Canadiens this season.
Injuries have clearly interrupted his development, and that has to be part of the discussion. Even so, the Canadiens can’t keep judging him on the player they hoped he would become.
They need to see what he is right now. The flashes have shown up before, but they’ve become harder to find.
With younger players pushing for opportunities, he needs to produce more, get involved more, and show he can still matter in this lineup.
Florian Xhekaj arrived with far less offensive pressure on him than Slafkovsky or Dach. No one is asking him to drive scoring.
His job is to bring physicality, energy, and a willingness to make things uncomfortable for opponents. He earned his spot on the opening roster after a strong training camp, and that camp performance suggested he could give Montreal a different look on the fourth line.
So far in the regular season, that hasn’t carried over.
Through his first two games, Xhekaj has a minus-4 rating. That doesn’t tell the whole story, but it certainly doesn’t scream dependable NHL contributor either.
The challenge for him is convincing St. Louis that he can be trusted in more situations.
Being physical has value, but it has to come with defensive responsibility.
Different players, different expectations, same basic problem: the Canadiens need more from all three. There’s a long way to go in 2026-27, and none of these starts has to define a season. But if Montreal wants to keep climbing, the guys trying to establish or cement their roles have to deliver.
In Other News...
Canadiens Forward Injury Could Force A Lineup Decision Soon
The Canadiens are already juggling forward injuries, and Florian Xhekajs latest setback only adds another layer to the mix. He left practice early and was first listed as day-to-day, but the team has not offered much detail beyond calling it a lower-body injury, leaving Montreal to keep sorting through its options up front as the lineup picture shifts.
For Owen Beck, the timing could be beneficial. What was shaping up as a short stay with the Canadiens may now stretch a bit longer as the club works around multiple absences among its forwards, giving the coaching staff one more roster question to answer while Xhekaj recovers. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Keep Creating Chances But Still Look Exposed In Atlantic Race
The Canadiens have spent the early part of the 2026-27 season doing enough to keep games interesting, but not enough to turn those chances into the kind of results that matter in the Atlantic race. Montreal has been getting looks and pushing the pace, yet the finish has lagged behind the process, leaving the club stuck in seventh place and searching for more payoff from its attack.
Josh Anderson and Zachary Bolduc have been among the brighter spots, helping keep the offense afloat while the rest of the group looks for a sharper edge. Even so, the bigger issue remains whether Montreal can keep creating this volume of chances and start turning them into goals before the standings gap begins to widen. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Dachs Canadiens Role Just Turned Into A Bigger Roster Question
Kirby Dachs start with the Canadiens has already become a bigger talking point than anyone in Montreal likely expected. Through seven games, he has managed only one assist and a minus-4 rating, and the reduced ice time has sent him sliding to the fourth line as the club continues to sort through its early-season lineup and roster balance.
What makes the situation more notable is that his name is no longer being framed only around on-ice production. Reports have suggested a trade is becoming a more realistic possibility, with other teams showing interest as Montreal weighs its options. For a player still in the middle of establishing his place with the Canadiens, that kind of attention adds another layer to an already uneasy stretch. [Read more 🡒]