The Montreal Canadiens entered the holiday break having played 37 games (45%) of the 2025-26 season, and with a record of 20-12-5. A winning percentage of .608 is nothing short of remarkable when you consider the adversity the Habs have faced.
When they return to play after Christmas, they will play 20 games before the Olympic break, and then another three games between the Olympics and the March 6 trade deadline.
GM Kent Hughes is not done dealing, and he will conduct business like a guy whose team is playoff bound.
Goalies
Carrying three goalies is not an option for the season’s duration. The only one that is certainly in the long-term plans for the Canadiens is Jacob Fowler. If Sam Montembeault can find his game, the easy call is to let Fowler develop in Laval and roll the tandem they intended to this season.
There are legitimate reasons to be concerned that Monty won’t find his game, and then the question arises as to whether the Habs will really run two rookies for the rest of the season.
The Habs find themselves in a position where they may have to move on from Monty. Is there a market for him? If they do, might they also look another veteran to support one of the rookies?
Defensemen
There are three certainties in the Canadiens’ defense group – Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson and Michael Matheson. Literally everything else is a question mark.
The Habs would like Kaiden Guhle to be a certainty, and they may well deal as though he is. But there are flies in that ointment. The guy doesn’t play enough games to be considered reliable, and Guhle’s return likely moves Hutson away from his strong side.
Hutson will probably move to the right and be paired with Guhle by the end of January. But HuGo has to at least ask themselves whether they would be better served trading Guhle. A package that includes Guhle would fetch a strong 2C.
The third pair and the extras are also unclear. Alexandre Carrier has struggled this season, and was barbarized in last year’s playoffs. Reinbacher is his logical replacement, but probably not this season.
So that leaves Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj fighting for the 6-7 positions when Guhle returns. and that’s one too many. Engstrom could be sent back to Laval, but he is the better defender and can play right side should Carrier ultimately falter. Xhekaj brings a different element than anyone else on the entire blue line. It makes sense to keep him too.
Struble should probably be the odd man out when Guhle returns, but he may not be a guy that moves the needle in any trade.
Forwards
The injury bug has bit the forward group hard, and guys were added to address the holes in the line-up. Owen Beck has been a solid call-up. So as each guy returns to the line-up, decisions will be made about how the forward group will be formed.
Kirby Dach is the first to return, likely within a few days after the break. Interestingly, there may be no consequent impact on the roster, depending on Alex Texier’s injury status. If Texier is healthy, more Laval seasoning may be on the horizon for Beck.
The race to return next is likely between Jake Evans and Patrik Laine. A timeline has not yet been established for Evans, but Laine’s ETA is set somewhere around the Olympic break. Finding a fit in the line-up for Laine was tough before the addition of Texier and Danault, who will likely still be on the roster when the dust settles.
Alex Newhook is the last to return, and that will happen after the trade deadline when there are no roster limits. They will still need to find a spot for him in the line-up and be mindful of the cap.
The list of potential forwards is long. Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov, Kapanen, Bolduc, Dach, Danault, Texier, Evans, Laine, Newhook, Anderson, Gallagher, Veleno, Beck and Blais. 17 forwards that need to be pared down to 13 or 14, while also finding an upgrade for the top six.
There will be movement.
Some trade prototypes
We all love a trade proposal but this article will offer some prototypes, or model ideas, the Habs may use to sort their roster.
Addressing the goalie situation
It occurs to me that Montembeault played well earlier in the rebuild when there was no expectation of winning. I wonder if the pressure of expectations has gotten to him, and if a situation where there is less pressure might work for him.
The St. Louis Blues are resetting. If they decide to trade Binnington, perhaps a short-term commitment to Monty might suit them. The Calgary Flames, and several others, may see Monty as an upgrade to support a developing goaltender during a retool.
If Monty continues to struggle, and a trade is not on the table, a decision may come sooner than later to waive Monty and see if he is claimed, or can find his form in a long stint in Laval.
Clearing space on D
If the Habs choose to move on from Struble when Guhle returns, one team that might be interested is San Jose. The Sharks have five defenders who are pending UFAs and are expected to move some of them at the deadline. A young and serviceable blue-liner might be appealing to them.
One of their UFAs is Vincent Desharnais, a right shot that brings a net-clearing presence. I wonder if the Habs have considered picking up a little more brawn for the playoffs.
Creating cap space
The forward that fits the least in Montreal when he returns is Laine, and he is also the most expensive. I suppose a playoff team that is struggling on the power play may be interested if the Canadiens retained salary. Carolina and Utah make some sense on that front.
Otherwise, teams with cap space would likely take on the contract if a sweetener was added, and the Habs might be inclined to do that at some point.
Building a package to acquire a top six piece.
We’re all familiar with the formula… a first round pick, a prospect and a roster player, give or take, can land a good top six forward. The Canadiens can put together a variety of packages, depending on who might become available.
What does a package of Dach, Struble and a first get you? What if you replace Struble with Guhle? Needless to say, the second package is only being offered for a perfect top six option.
The Habs don’t need to rush any deal, but they will also be open to dealing as soon as the trade freeze lifts.
Hab At Her 