Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes wanted to improve on last season -- one that Montreal made the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals. Hughes improved the defense and bottom six but the fans still have questions surrounding the team heading into the 2025-26 season.
How will Dobson fit into the defensive pairings?
Hughes's big move this offseason was acquiring defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders for a prospect and two first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. A steep price, but Dobson is a top-tier defenseman who can improve this group. Dobson will be here for the long haul as he agreed to an 8-year deal. He is likely to be on the top pairing with sophomore sensation Lane Hutson, last season's Calder Trophy winner for the league's top rookie.
Dobson will quarterback the top power play and also be used on the penalty kill. He is a reliable two-way defenseman who will be an impact player and play a key role in how far the Canadiens go next season.
Can Slafkovsky elevate his game further?
Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky borke out last season, earning career highs in assists (33) and points (51). He is an impact player with offensive talent but can also play a gritty game. He has progressed offensively each year he has been in the league and next season should be no different.
A 100-point season is not likely although a 70-point season is not out of reach. It will be interesting to see which line he plays on to start, as some may think he starts the season on a line with phenom Ivan Demidov, who had two points in two games last season. Slafkovsky is surrounded by young talent up front which will help, but having Dobson at the point on the power play is where Slafkovsky could see his production go up.
Is the goaltending capable of carrying the team past the first round?
Goaltenders Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes will enter the 2025-26 season as the goaltending duo to lead Montreal. Last season, they combined to post a record o 38-28-10, with Montembeault earning a career-high 31 wins to Dobes having seven wins in his rookie season. While still relatively new to each other, this tandem is solid and extremely talented enough to carry them into the playoffs once again.
While the goals against and goals against average could use some work, the team is better than last season so we should see an improvement there. The Canadiens' acquisition of forward Zach Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues should also have an impact on the penalty kill and defensive side of the puck as he is a solid defensive forward.
The Canadiens' offseason has not seen much movement but the acquisition of Dobson and Bolduc, along with the re-signing of Dobes should give this team a motivation boost heading into next season. While they snuck up on some teams last season, this season they are a secret no longer. They have a team built to compete every night and should make the playoffs once again.