The first week of free agency has come and gone, and the Montreal Canadiens have mostly stood pat. The additions so far have been largely two-way signings, the kind of moves that point more toward Laval than the NHL lineup.
Still, this isn’t a roster that looks finished. Montreal’s prospect pipeline is deep, and a few young players are pushing toward real jobs with the big club. Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, three names stand out as the best bets to take on bigger roles.
Oliver Kapanen is first in line. He spent most of the regular season as the second-line center and delivered a strong first full NHL campaign with 22 goals and 15 assists.
The playoff picture was different, though. Kapanen appeared in just 10 games and logged 10 minutes or less in eight of them, which only reinforced why center depth was viewed as a need for Montreal heading into the offseason.
That need has not been easy to solve. Young centers with real upside are hard to pry loose, and the Canadiens may still add before opening night. For now, though, the battle looks set for training camp, where Kapanen will be competing with Jake Evans and possibly Owen Beck.
Florian Xhekaj looks like the next player ready to step into the mix. Montreal has already seen some movement at forward, with Brendan Gallagher traded and Joe Veleno heading to the New York Rangers after the Canadiens declined to give him a qualifying offer. That opens the door for Xhekaj, a 2023 fourth-round pick who has spent the last two seasons with the Laval Rocket.
He brings the same kind of physical edge that defines his brother, Arber, and he profiles as a natural fit for a fourth-line role. Last season in Laval, Xhekaj put up 17 goals, 12 assists and 182 penalty minutes. His former coach called him a "unicorn" because he can help in every area of the game, whether that's power play, penalty kill, 5v5, at center, or on the wing.
At this point, it would be a surprise if Florian Xhekaj is not on the Canadiens’ roster when the season opens.
The third situation is on defense, where Montreal appears likely to bring up one AHL blueliner. That decision may come down to David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom, assuming both are still in the organization by the fall. The Canadiens are believed to be pushing hard to upgrade their Top 6, and their depth on defense gives them a piece they could use in a trade package to make that happen.
If both prospects remain, training camp could turn into a straight-up competition between two players who look NHL-ready. Engstrom already got a longer look in Montreal last season, skating in 15 games, while Reinbacher made his debut late and appeared in two.
Reinbacher’s right-handed shot could give him a slight edge, especially with Montreal’s current roster leaning left on the back end. But Engstrom can also play the right side, which makes that factor less decisive than it first appears.
For now, the path isn’t obvious. The Canadiens have six defensemen under contract for next season, and Arber Xhekaj remains a restricted free agent. That could change quickly if a trade opens up a spot.
There is still plenty of time before training camp begins, and Kent Hughes will likely keep working to make something happen. Right now, though, these are the young players best positioned to take on larger roles for Montreal in 2026-27.
In Other News...
Canadiens Still Have A Real Shot At The Center They Need
The Canadiens are still searching for the kind of center who can match their young core and help push the team deeper into the postseason picture, which is why Dylan Larkin keeps coming up as a name worth watching. Detroit has not moved him despite his trade request earlier this year, and his no-trade protection has made any possible deal complicated from the start.
Montreal would make sense if Larkin ever broadens the list of places he is willing to go, because the fit is obvious enough to keep the idea alive around the league. For now, the question is whether that door has opened at all, and until it does, the Canadiens can only stay ready and hope the situation shifts in their direction. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Add Another Defenseman With Something To Prove
The Canadiens organizational depth chart got a little more interesting with the Trois-Rivires Lions confirming the return of a defenseman who arrived midway through last season and will now get a full year to settle in. He brings a varied background through the Elite Ice Hockey League, the OHL and Western University, and his next stop is expected to include a look at Montreals training camp in September.
For a club always searching for defenders who can handle more than a placeholder role, the appeal is obvious. A full season in Trois-Rivires should give him a better runway to show where he fits in the Canadiens system, and camp will offer the first real chance to see whether he can press for something beyond simple organizational depth. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Finally Give Martin St-Louis The Bench Help Fans Wanted
Martin St-Louis is getting a more experienced bench partner as the Canadiens look to strengthen the coaching side around him. Montreal has moved to add a veteran assistant after the opening was created when Jim Hiller did not retain Derek Lalonde on the Maple Leafs staff, giving the Canadiens a chance to bring in someone with a long track record behind an NHL bench.
Lalonde arrives with championship pedigree from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was part of a staff that reached the leagues biggest stage year after year. For a Canadiens team trying to give St-Louis the support fans have wanted, the move adds a proven voice and a steadier hand to a coaching setup that should look a little deeper now than it did before. [Read more 🡒]