2025–26 Montreal Canadiens season
Season of play of professional ice hockey team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2025–26 Montreal Canadiens season was the 117th for the club that was established on December 4, 1909, and their 109th season as a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL).
| 2025–26 Montreal Canadiens | |
|---|---|
| Division | 3rd Atlantic |
| Conference | 4th Eastern |
| 2025–26 record | 48–24–10 |
| Home record | 24–15–2 |
| Road record | 24–9–8 |
| Goals for | 283 |
| Goals against | 256 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Kent Hughes |
| Coach | Martin St. Louis |
| Captain | Nick Suzuki |
| Alternate captains | Brendan Gallagher Mike Matheson |
| Arena | Bell Centre |
| Minor league affiliates | Laval Rocket (AHL) Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL) |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Cole Caufield (51) |
| Assists | Nick Suzuki (72) |
| Points | Nick Suzuki (101) |
| Penalty minutes | Arber Xhekaj (116) |
| Plus/minus | Nick Suzuki (+37) |
| Wins | Jakub Dobeš (29) |
| Goals against average | Jacob Fowler (2.43) |
After a three-year period near the bottom of the standings from the 2021–22 to 2023–24 seasons, the rebuilding Canadiens had capped the 2024–25 season with an unexpected postseason berth.[1] The team would improve on this in the 2025–26 season, qualifying for the playoffs for a second consecutive time on April 5, 2026, after the Minnesota Wild defeated the Detroit Red Wings.[2] The Canadiens finished the regular season with the sixth-best record in the NHL, and third-best in the Atlantic Division.[1]
The Canadiens faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, ultimately prevailing in a seven-game series. This was the team's first postseason series victory in five years.[3] They went on to defeat the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, again in seven games, to reach the Eastern Conference final.[4] There the Canadiens' postseason came to an end, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.[5][6]
The season saw Montreal's players reach a number of offensive milestones, with winger Cole Caufield scoring 51 goals, becoming the first Canadien to reach the 50-goal mark since Stephane Richer in the 1989–90 season.[7] Team captain Nick Suzuki finished with 101 points, the first time that a Canadien had recorded a 100-point season since Mats Naslund did so in the 1985–86 season.[8][9] Caufield received the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player, while Suzuki was named winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL.[10]
Standings
Divisional standings
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | RW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | y – Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 42 | 288 | 241 | +47 | 109 |
| 2 | x – Tampa Bay Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 40 | 290 | 231 | +59 | 106 |
| 3 | x – Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 34 | 283 | 256 | +27 | 106 |
| 4 | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 33 | 272 | 250 | +22 | 100 |
| 5 | x – Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 38 | 278 | 246 | +32 | 99 |
| 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 30 | 241 | 258 | −17 | 92 |
| 7 | Florida Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 32 | 251 | 276 | −25 | 84 |
| 8 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 23 | 253 | 299 | −46 | 78 |
Source: National Hockey League[11]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division
Conference standings
| Pos | Div | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | RW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AT | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 33 | 272 | 250 | +22 | 100 |
| 2 | AT | x – Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 38 | 278 | 246 | +32 | 99 |
| 3 | ME | Washington Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 37 | 263 | 244 | +19 | 95 |
| 4 | AT | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 30 | 241 | 258 | −17 | 92 |
| 5 | ME | Columbus Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 28 | 253 | 253 | 0 | 92 |
| 6 | ME | New York Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 29 | 233 | 241 | −8 | 91 |
| 7 | ME | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 29 | 230 | 254 | −24 | 87 |
| 8 | AT | Florida Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 32 | 251 | 276 | −25 | 84 |
| 9 | AT | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 23 | 253 | 299 | −46 | 78 |
| 10 | ME | New York Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 25 | 238 | 250 | −12 | 77 |
Source: National Hockey League[12]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
x – Clinched playoff spot
Schedule and results
Preseason
The preseason schedule was published on June 25, 2025.[13]
| 2025 preseason game log: 4–2–0 (Home: 2–2–0; Road: 2–0–0) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Decision | Attendance | Record | Recap |
| 1 | September 22 | Pittsburgh | 1–2 | Montreal | SO | Fowler | 20,595 | 1–0–0 | [14] |
| 2 | September 23 | Philadelphia | 2–4 | Montreal | Kähkönen | 20,429 | 2–0–0 | [15] | |
| 3 | September 25 | Toronto | 7–2 | Montreal | Montembeault | 20,962 | 2–1–0 | [16] | |
| 4 | September 27 | Montreal | 4–2 | Toronto | Kähkönen | 18,216 | 3–1–0 | [17] | |
| 5 | September 30A | Montreal | 5–0 | Ottawa | Dobeš | 18,259 | 4–1–0 | [18] | |
| 6 | October 4 | Ottawa | 3–1 | Montreal | Montembeault | 20,962 | 4–2–0 | [19] | |
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Regular season
The regular season schedule was released on July 16, 2025.[20]
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Playoffs
| 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Player statistics
Final stats
Skaters
Goaltenders
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | OT | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakub Dobeš | 43 | 42 | 2525:35 | 29 | 10 | 4 | 117 | 2.78 | 1,187 | .901 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sam Montembeault | 25 | 23 | 1418:12 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 81 | 3.43 | 635 | .872 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Fowler | 17 | 17 | 1010:42 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 2.43 | 448 | .908 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakub Dobeš | 19 | 19 | 1173:11 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 2.66 | 564 | .908 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Jacob Fowler | 1 | 0 | 8:23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.16 | 2 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Canadiens. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
Bold denotes franchise record.
Awards and honours
Awards
| Player | Award | Awarded | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakub Dobeš | NHL Third Star of the Month | November 1, 2025 | [126] |
| Juraj Slafkovský | NHL Third Star of the Week | December 29, 2025 | [127] |
| Ivan Demidov | NHL Rookie of the Month | January 1, 2026 | [128] |
| Cole Caufield | NHL Third Star of the Week | March 23, 2026 | [129] |
| Jakub Dobeš | NHL First Star of the Week | March 30, 2026 | [130] |
| Cole Caufield | Lady Byng Memorial Trophy | June 5, 2026 | [10] |
| Nick Suzuki | Frank J. Selke Trophy | ||
| Ivan Demidov | NHL All-Rookie Team | June 12, 2026 | [131] |
| Jakub Dobeš | |||
| Cole Caufield | NHL Second All-Star Team | [132] |
Milestones
| Oliver Kapanen | 1st career NHL goal | October 8, 2025 | [133] |
| Zachary Bolduc | 100th career NHL game | October 11, 2025 | [134] |
| Alexandre Carrier | 300th career NHL game | October 14, 2025 | [135] |
| Alex Newhook | 300th career NHL game | October 14, 2025 | [136] |
| Noah Dobson | 400th career NHL game | November 1, 2025 | [137] |
| Cole Caufield | 300th career NHL game | November 4, 2025 | [138] |
| Lane Hutson | 100th career NHL game | November 11, 2025 | [139] |
| Jared Davidson | 1st career NHL game | November 15, 2025 | [140] |
| Mike Matheson | 200th career NHL assist | November 22, 2025 | [141][142] |
| Florian Xhekaj | 1st career NHL game 1st career NHL assist 1st career NHL point | November 22, 2025 | [143] |
| Adam Engström | 1st career NHL game | November 26, 2025 | [144] |
| Nick Suzuki | 400th career NHL point | November 26, 2025 | [145] |
| Jared Davidson | 1st career NHL assist 1st career NHL point | December 7, 2025 | [146] |
| Jacob Fowler | 1st career NHL game 1st career NHL win | December 11, 2025 | [147] |
| Owen Beck | 1st career NHL goal | December 20, 2025 | [148] |
| Jacob Fowler | 1st career NHL shutout | December 20, 2025 | [149] |
| Lane Hutson | 100th career NHL point | December 20, 2025 | [150] |
| Noah Dobson | 200th career NHL assist | December 30, 2025 | [151][152] |
| Arber Xhekaj | 200th career NHL game | December 30, 2025 | [153] |
| Phillip Danault | 400th career NHL point | January 4, 2026 | [154] |
| Alexandre Texier | 100th career NHL point | January 7, 2026 | [155] |
| Alexandre Texier | 1st career NHL hat-trick | January 8, 2026 | [156] |
| Nick Suzuki | 500th career NHL game | January 10, 2026 | [157] |
| Alexandre Carrier | 100th career NHL point | January 12, 2026 | [158] |
Transactions
The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2025–26 season.
Key
† Contract is entry-level.
‡
Contract initially takes effect in the 2026–27 season.
Trades
| Date | Details | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2025 | To New York Islanders CGY 1st-round pick in 2025 (16th overall) 1st-round pick in 2025 (17th overall) Emil Heineman |
To Montreal Canadiens Noah Dobson |
[159] |
| June 28, 2025 | To Carolina Hurricanes PIT 2nd-round pick in 2025 (41st overall) 2nd-round pick in 2025 (49th overall) |
To Montreal Canadiens CHI 2nd-round pick in 2025 (34th overall) 6th-round pick in 2025 (189th overall) |
[160] |
| June 28, 2025 | To Boston Bruins VAN 3rd-round pick in 2025 (79th overall) DET 4th-round pick in 2025 (108th overall) |
To Montreal Canadiens 3rd-round pick in 2025 (69th overall) |
[161] |
| June 30, 2025 | To Carolina Hurricanes Cayden Primeau |
To Montreal Canadiens 7th-round pick in 2026 |
[162] |
| July 1, 2025 | To St. Louis Blues Logan Mailloux |
To Montreal Canadiens Zachary Bolduc |
[163] |
| September 5, 2025 | To San Jose Sharks Carey Price 5th-round pick in 2026 |
To Montreal Canadiens Gannon Laroque |
[164] |
| March 13, 2026 | To Ottawa Senators Riley Kidney |
To Montreal Canadiens Jake Chiasson Hunter Shepard |
[165] |
Players acquired
| Date | Player | Former team (League) | Term | Via | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Alex Belzile | New York Rangers | 1-year | Free agency | [166] |
| Sammy Blais | St. Louis Blues | 1-year | Free agency | [167] | |
| Nathan Clurman | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1-year | Free agency | [166] | |
| Kaapo Kähkönen | Florida Panthers | 1-year | Free agency | [167] | |
| July 2, 2025 | Marc Del Gaizo | Nashville Predators | 1-year | Free agency | [168] |
| July 16, 2025 | Joe Veleno | Seattle Kraken | 1-year | Free agency | [169] |
| November 23, 2025 | Alexandre Texier | St. Louis Blues | 1-year | Free agency | [170] |
| November 27, 2025 | Sammy Blais | Toronto Maple Leafs | Waivers | [171] |
Players lost
| Date | Player | New team (League) | Term | Via | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Joel Armia | Los Angeles Kings | 2-year | Free agency | [172] |
| Christian Dvorak | Philadelphia Flyers | 1-year | Free agency | [173] | |
| Michael Pezzetta | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2-year | Free agency | [174] | |
| July 2, 2025 | Rafaël Harvey-Pinard | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1-year | Free agency | [175] |
| July 4, 2025 | Alex Barré-Boulet | Colorado Avalanche | 1-year | Free agency | [176] |
| July 5, 2025 | Xavier Simoneau | Laval Rocket (AHL) | 1-year | Free agency | [177] |
| July 11, 2025 | Noel Hoefenmayer | HC Sochi (KHL) | 1-year | Free agency | [178] |
| October 6, 2025 | Sammy Blais | Toronto Maple Leafs | Waivers | [179] |
Signings
| Date | Player | Term | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2025 | Noah Dobson | 8-year | [159] |
| July 2, 2025 | Sean Farrell | 1-year | [168] |
| July 3, 2025 | William Trudeau | 1-year | [180] |
| July 6, 2025 | Jakub Dobeš | 2-year | [181] |
| July 28, 2025 | Jayden Struble | 2-year | [182] |
| October 13, 2025 | Lane Hutson | 8-year‡ | [183] |
| November 28, 2025 | Mike Matheson | 5-year‡ | [184] |
| December 24, 2025 | Bryce Pickford | 3-year† | [185] |
Draft picks
Below are the Montreal Canadiens' selections at the 2025 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 27–28, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.
| Round | # | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team (League) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 34[A] | Alexander Zharovsky | RW |  Russia |
Tolpar Ufa (MHL) |
| 3 | 69[B] | Hayden Paupanekis | C |  Canada |
Kelowna Rockets (WHL) |
| 81 | Bryce Pickford | D | Canada |
Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) | |
| 82[C] | Arseny Radkov | G |  Belarus |
Tyumensky Legion (MHL) | |
| 4 | 113 | John Mooney | C |  United States |
U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL) |
| 5 | 145 | Alexis Cournoyer | G | Canada |
Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL) |
| 6 | 177 | Carlos Händel | D |  Germany |
Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) |
| 189[D] | Andrew MacNiel | D | Canada |
Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | |
| 7 | 209 | Max Vig | D | United States |
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) |
Notes
- The Chicago Blackhawks' second-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on June 28, 2025 that sent Pittsburgh's second-round pick in 2025 (41st overall) and a second-round pick in 2025 (49th overall) to Carolina in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025 (189th overall), and this pick.[186] Carolina previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 27, 2025 that sent a first-round pick in 2025 (29th overall) to Chicago in exchange for Dallas's second-round pick in 2025 (62nd overall), a fifth-round pick in 2027, and this pick.[187]
- The Boston Bruins' third-round pick went to Montreal as a result of a trade on June 28, 2025 that sent Vancouver's third-round pick and Detroit's fourth-round pick both in 2025 (79th and 108th overall) to Boston in exchange for this pick.[188]
- The New Jersey Devils' third-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on March 8, 2024 that sent Jake Allen to New Jersey in exchange for this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[189] The condition – Montreal would receive a second-round pick in 2025 if Allen played in more than 40 games during the 2024–25 NHL season – was not converted when it became unfeasible for Allen to reach this threshold based on remaining team schedule in mid-March 2025.[190]
- The Carolina Hurricanes' sixth-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on June 28, 2025 that sent Pittsburgh's second-round pick in 2025 (41st overall) and a second-round pick in 2025 (49th overall) to Carolina in exchange for Chicago's second-round pick in 2025 (34th overall), and this pick.[186]