The future lineup of the Canadiens will be very exciting to watch and here is the proof
The Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of a major rebuild, their biggest in several decades.
Even though the team has finished in the lower ranks of the overall standings for two consecutive years, there is still work to be done within this organization, including ensuring the proper development of the many young talents in the prospect pool.
Slowly, we are seeing more and more young players join the core of the Tricolore, and several others are quietly emerging on the horizon to soon make their place in the team's roster.
Many of the CH's prospects have very promising potential, particularly among the defense, and it is interesting to undertake the exercise of what the club's lineup might look like in a few years.
Here is my projection for the Canadiens for the 2025-2026 season with the current rosters:
Juraj Slafkovsky � Nick Suzuki � Cole Caufield
Alex Newhook - Kirby Dach � Sean Farrell
Joshua Roy - Owen Beck � Josh Anderson
Emil Heineman - Oliver Kapanen � Brendan Gallagher
Defensive Pairings
Kaiden Guhle � Justin Barron
Lane Hutson � David Reinbacher
Adam Engstrom � Logan Mailloux
Goalies
Samuel Montembeault
Jakub Dobes
Extras: Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard
Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that the Canadiens are not yet ready to qualify for the playoffs for another two seasons. This means that the team will have the opportunity to add two more promising talents, probably in the top-10 in 2024 and in the top-15 in 2025.
This will greatly contribute to adding depth, especially at the offensive level. An elite player to play in the top-6 would be a necessary find to take the offense of this lineup to another level.
Adding to this is the fact that Kent Hughes has an additional first-round selection in 2025, belonging to the Calgary Flames. This provides the Tricolore with the opportunity to make an interesting move on the trade market, as they did last year with Kirby Dach, and this year with Alex Newhook.
Finally, according to Cap Friendly, the CH's GM will have more than $25 million in cap space in the summer of 2025. This amount could be significantly higher if the salary cap rises as expected over the next few years.
Such financial flexibility will allow management to make the significant acquisitions necessary to become a Stanley Cup contender.
| POLL | ||
In which season will the Canadiens qualify again for the playoffs? | ||
| 2023-2024 | 103 | 28.5 % |
| 2024-2025 | 166 | 45.9 % |
| 2025-2026 | 71 | 19.6 % |
| 2026-2027 | 22 | 6.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
