The Montreal Canadiens have reasons to feel good after their excellent 2025-26 season, but there’s still work to do if they want to keep moving forward. Even with plenty of optimism around the club, the roster still has a few clear spots that could use a boost.
The biggest one sits right down the middle. Montreal needs a second-line center, and that hole has not been filled this off-season.
That isn’t a huge surprise, given the limited options out there, but it also leaves the Canadiens with a need that may not get solved until the season itself. Adding that kind of upgrade would make a major difference.
There’s also room for more skill on the wing. The Canadiens could benefit from another talented middle-six winger, and this is one area they might still be able to address before the season begins.
A couple of free agents remain available, including Vladimir Tarasenko and Michael Bunting. If Montreal is aiming higher than that and wants a true top-six winger, the trade market looks like the better path.
The third need is on defense, where the Canadiens would gain a lot by adding another top-four right-shot defenseman. That one appears even tougher to solve through free agency, since the market no longer has a right-shot option that fits the bill. If Montreal wants to fill that spot, it would likely have to come via trade.
Whether it happens this off-season or later on during the season, the Canadiens have three roster areas worth watching closely before the 2026-27 season arrives.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Chance At The Center They Need
A center hunt that has hovered over Montreal for a while picked up some unexpected intrigue when Jeff Marek raised the Canadiens as a possible destination for Dylan Larkin. It is the kind of name that instantly changes the conversation around a roster that has been searching for help down the middle, especially when a player of that caliber is even loosely attached to the market.
For now, though, the path is far from straightforward. The Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are said to be among the teams showing the most interest, while Detroit is still holding out for a return that matches a first-line center. Larkin remains in Detroit, and until that balance shifts, Montreal's opening is more possibility than certainty. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Have An Obvious Veteran Option For Secondary Scoring
The Canadiens are still looking for ways to reinforce their scoring depth, and Reilly Smith has emerged as a veteran name worth keeping in the conversation. The unsigned free agent forward brings a long NHL track record, including past seasons as a reliable offensive contributor and a Stanley Cup on his rsum, which makes him the kind of low-risk addition teams often explore when they want help beyond their top-six forwards.
Smith is being viewed as a possible professional tryout option, which would give Montreal a closer look before any commitment is made. There has been no official agreement or even a reported offer, but the fit is easy to see for a club that could use experienced secondary scoring without rushing into a larger move. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Tkachuk Refused One Team Before Blockbuster Trade Reveal
Brady Tkachuks name surfaced in one of those summer trade discussions that can shape an entire market, and the latest report adds another layer to how complicated those talks can get. According to The Athletics Jeremy Rutherford, Tkachuk was not interested in going to the St. Louis Blues before the deal that eventually sent him to the Florida Panthers, a reminder that even high-level negotiations in the NHL are rarely just about teams lining up on value.
The report also notes that Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson came up in offseason trade chatter, underscoring how wide-ranging the conversations were behind the scenes. For teams watching the trade board, the key takeaway is familiar but often overlooked: player preference and no-trade considerations can steer a deal just as much as the price being discussed, and sometimes the most interesting part of a blockbuster is the destination that never made sense in the first place. [Read more 🡒]