Canadiens Still Have Work To Do This Summer

The Canadiens have had a fantastic summer so far as they aim to build on their first playoff appearance since 2021. The Habs lost some forwards but have been busy improving their defence and fixing other gaps in their roster.

The team is expected to once again fight for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and with these additions, some Canadiens fans are wondering if the team can contend for a place at the top of the Atlantic Division. The Florida Panthers will have something to say about that, but it’s fair to ask if Montreal has leapfrogged Ottawa, Toronto, and Tampa Bay. Even if the Canadiens are among the top three teams in the Atlantic Division, the path to the Stanley Cup will go through Florida, and Montreal still has a long way to go to catch the Panthers.

The Canadiens started their summer with a significant acquisition, bringing in defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The Canadiens traded forward Emil Heineman and two first-round picks in 2025 back to the Islanders in exchange for Dobson, igniting a summer that has Canadiens fans excited for the upcoming season.

Dobson was considered for the Norris Trophy just a year ago after scoring 10 goals and 60 assists in 79 games, but his production declined this past year, with only 10 goals and 29 assists in 71 games. Despite the reduced output, Dobson remains a clear top-pairing defenceman capable of generating plenty of offense and leading transition play.

He’s not the most reliable defensively, but he isn’t a complete liability in his zone and should improve his defensive metrics in Montreal. The trade was a smart move for the Canadiens, filling a noticeable gap in their lineup and providing stability on the right side of defense for the next eight seasons.

A few days after the Dobson trade, the Canadiens made another bold move, sending defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for forward Zachary Bolduc. Both players were chosen in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but they are at different points in their development, with Bolduc further along than Mailloux.

It’s common for forwards to develop quicker than defensemen, and the Habs are counting on that, hoping to accelerate their path to contention. The 21-year-old Bolduc is expected to add toughness and offense to the Canadiens, as he’s a strong forechecker and scored regularly while playing fourth-line minutes last season for St. Louis. Bolduc recorded 19 goals and 17 assists in 72 games last year and is likely to see more ice time in Montreal next season.

The Canadiens also made a few depth signings on July 1st, signing goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, forward Sammy Blais, and defenseman Nathan Clurman to one-year contracts, along with several other players in between. These moves were all necessary to strengthen Montreal’s depth, but some gaps have appeared due to free agency.

The Canadiens have seen several players leave this summer, and while none are big stars, they were essential depth players that the Canadiens will need to replace either from within the team or through free agency and trades. The players mentioned, Heineman and Mailloux, were traded away, while defenseman David Savard retired, and forwards Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia found new teams in free agency.

Dvorak now plays for the Flyers, while Armia signed with the Kings. These departures could affect Montreal’s faceoff performance and penalty killing.

All this to say, the Canadiens’ additions have been nice, but there’s still work to be done on their forward group. Their penalty killing seems like a potential weakness, as does their second line with the current setup. If the season were to start today, Montreal’s second line would likely feature Kirby Dach at center along with Patrik Laine and Ivan Demidov on the wings. While the wing options aren’t terrible, Dach playing on a second unit isn’t ideal at this stage, and he would benefit from being bumped down the lineup by a true top-six forward.

That task is not quite as challenging as finding a top defenseman, but it is still a challenge given the limited number of trade options. Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues has been mentioned as a possibility, and he would be an ideal fit for Montreal in that second-line role.

Kyrou has averaged over 70 points per season over the past four years and would enable the Canadiens to better position forwards like Dach in more suitable roles. The 27-year-old Kyrou has plenty of term remaining on his contract, with six years left at a $8.125MM AAV. If Montreal pursues Kyrou, he will likely not come cheaply and might require more high-end assets — something they might not be willing to give up.

If the Habs can’t land Kyrou, they could always turn to the Pittsburgh Penguins and target Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust, both of whom could handle top-six minutes in Montreal. The Penguins appear to be seeking young, NHL-ready players, which could be prohibitive to any trade. However, the cost would likely be lower than Kyrou’s, and the difference in impact could be negligible, depending on the fit.

In any event, the options are out there for Montreal to put a bow on this summer and enter next season as one of the top three teams in the Atlantic Division. They have their work cut out for them, though, as nearly every team in the NHL is trying to get better, and the market isn’t exactly flush with top players that can be traded.

Photo by Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.