Oliver Kapanen was back on the ice with the Montreal Canadiens in Pittsburgh on Thursday, and that alone gives Martin St-Louis a lot more to think about as he sorts out his forward group for Saturday night.
The Finnish centre, who sat out the season opener against the Maple Leafs because of a lower-body injury, looked to be moving closer to a return. His appearance at practice is a significant development for a Canadiens team that has been operating without him to start the 2026-27 schedule.
That absence was a little surprising, considering Kapanen played all 82 games last season. Now, with him back in practice, the Canadiens suddenly have another strong option to work into the lineup.
During Kapanen’s absence, Alex Newhook slid into the second-line centre role, lining up between Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov. Newhook handled the job well in Toronto, especially when it came to faceoffs, which makes the next step far from simple for St-Louis.
The Canadiens are set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, but Kapanen’s status for that game is still unclear even after his return to practice. That leaves Montreal with a few moving parts to sort through before puck drop.
Florian Xhekaj is also pushing for a spot, which only adds to the mix. With Kapanen back on the ice and another forward pressing for ice time, St-Louis now has some real decisions to make about how his lines will look in Pittsburgh and beyond.
In Other News...
Canadiens Camp Picture Just Got Clearer With 3 More Cuts
The Canadiens camp pipeline took another small turn as the Laval Rocket trimmed three more names from their training camp roster. Forward Aleksandr Legkov and defensemen Jacob Dion and Kale McCallum had all spent time in Montreals camp before landing with Laval, and now their next stop is looking a little further down the road in the organization.
Their movement leaves the Rocket with 25 players still in camp as they build toward the American Hockey League season. For Montreal, it is another reminder of how the organization is sorting its depth chart in real time, with some prospects moving on while others keep their hold on a spot and wait for the next opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Could Have A Rare Chance To Grab Bruins Young Talent
Matthew Poitras has been one of the more interesting young names to follow in Boston, and for now he has stayed out of waivers. Still, the conversation around him is getting louder, and that puts Montreal in a position worth watching. For a Canadiens team that could use more offensive help down the middle, a young player with Poitras profile would stand out immediately if he became available.
Drafted by the Bruins in 2022, Poitras has already shown enough at both levels to make him a legitimate target, with 69 NHL games and 27 career points adding to a productive AHL season in Providence. The Canadiens would not be alone in keeping an eye on the situation, but a rare chance to pluck a player with his skill from a division rival is the kind of opening teams do not get often, which is why the next roster move in Boston matters so much. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Weigh A Lineup Change After One Costly Mistake
A quiet roster debate is hanging over Montreal as the Canadiens sort through their lineup during a team retreat ahead of their next game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Florian Xhekaj has kept himself in the conversation after a strong training camp, earning praise from both management and teammates, and his name has stayed in the mix as the club looks for ways to tighten things up.
The discussion has been sharpened by a recent penalty from Alexandre Texier, a mistake that drew criticism and may force the coaching staff to rethink its forward group. The Canadiens are still weighing their options, but the decision window is closing, and this one could turn into a meaningful early-season test of how much they want to reward camp performance versus stick with the current lineup. [Read more 🡒]