avatar
Updated:
NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

MONTREAL — It feels like every hour features more Montreal Canadiens news, and we’re all bound to miss a story or two. With that in mind, we recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Canadiens loop.

Make sure you don’t miss any Canadiens news by signing up to our weekly newsletter! You can also sign up for various other NHL teams, or the daily newsletter covering the most exciting developments in sports.[Sportsnaut]

Montreal Canadiens News And Notes

  • Veteran Phillip Danault hit the ice in Brossard on Friday, gearing up to play the final year of his contract in 2026-27. Danault only managed to produce 5 assists in 30 games with the Los Angeles Kings, but following the deal that returned him to the Habs, he scored six goals and six assists in 45, a much more respectable output for the defensive specialist.
  • Alexander Zharovsky continues to acclimatize himself to his future surroundings. The top prospect is spending part of his summer in Montreal, but will return to the KHL for the upcoming season. He’s been busy working out with Adam Nicholas, who still has a heck of a shot.
  • Ivan Demidov continues to serve as a mentor/chaperon for Zharovsky while he’s in Montreal.
  • Mike Matheson was grateful for the exciting season, thanking the fans via Instagram on the weekend. His usage was changed considerably, and though the underlying numbers were far from elite, it’s fair to say Matheson adapted quite well to a difficult situation. [Canadiens Player Grades: Matheson Dealt With Challenging Usage]
  • The NHL announced Carey Price was among the inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as one of the headliners of the 2026 class. Price won a bevy of individual trophies, and there’s no denying he deserves his spot in the Hall of Fame in Toronto. [Price Deserved Induction To Hall of Fame]
  • Price was near one of his favourite honey holes when he got the call from the Hall, which is fitting because he clearly has a love for the outdoors, and is most comfortable fishing and hunting.
  • We’ve reached phenom Lane Hutson in our Montreal Canadiens player grades, and as expected, he received an A+ due to his excellence. He not only improved his production, his underlying numbers were fantastic in his sophomore season. Hutson is the rising tide that lifts all Canadiens boats. [Canadiens Player Grades: Hutson Is The Rising Tide]
  • Nick Suzuki was back in action, fresh off his Selke Trophy win. The Canadiens captain was busy spending time on the ice in Brossard, alongside rookie netminder Jacob Fowler.
  • Given how much he has offered to the organization, Gallagher is definitely taking his departure from Montreal with class.
  • There’s no doubt about it, from a production standpoint, Ivan Demidov enjoyed a great rookie season. His underlying numbers leave something to be desired, but given his elite skill level, logic dictates the team is yet to find his ideal linemates. In other words, there’s still work to be done, but overall, Demidov was fantastic in his first year in the NHL. [Canadiens Player Grades: Demidov Dazzles In Rookie Season]
  • Speaking of Demidov, he took some time off from mentoring prospect Alexander Zharovsky to spend time with Warrior Hockey, his stick sponsor. Meanwhile, Zharovsky is in Florida taking part in a camp for Russian prospects hosted by his agent, Daniel Milstein.
  • TSN mentioned a potential free agency target for the Habs: Jeffrey Viel. The 29-year-old Rimouski native would be an interesting addition to the bottom six, but the lineup is already overflowing with forwards, making it a rather cramped situation.
  • Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish has resurfaced in trade rumours, with the Canadiens named as one of the teams that would possibly be interested in his services. McTavish has value, but there are a few red flags in his results that should give the Habs cause for concern. [Canadiens Trade Rumours: Evaluating McTavish Potential]
  • Pierre LeBrun reported that A.J. Greer is heading to free agency, which is more of a confirmation of earlier reports than breaking news. Regardless, Greer may end up being a player of interest for the Canadiens, but we shouldn’t overrate his production last season. He’s a bottom-six player, but most of his points came while he was playing in the top six. [NHL Free Agency: Evaluating Greer’s Potential Impact With Habs]
  • Brendan Gallagher’s time with the Canadiens may be coming to an end, but he won’t be forgotten in Montreal any time soon. The municipality is naming Gallagher an ‘Honorary Citizen of the City of Montreal’, a nice reward for his many years of hard work for the Habs. [Canadiens Offseason: Gallagher Trade Talk, Potential Buyout Cost]
  • Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was representing the Canadiens as he vacationed in Canada.
  • The Habs own the 28th overall pick heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and while there have been some decent players drafted at that range in the last five years, there have also been more misses than hits. [NHL Draft History: Players Selected 28th Overall]
  • Jeff Gorton discussed the future of two of the organization’s most important prospects: Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky. Neither player is expected to play in Montreal next season, but Gorton left the door open when discussing Hage’s desire to return to the NCAA for a third campaign. [VIDEO: Future Of Top Canadiens Prospects Hage, Zharovsky]
  • It appears that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko may be available, at least to a certain extent, in that a good offer would convince the Blue Jackets to move him. Elliotte Friedman briefly mentioned that Marchenko is the type of player that would interest the Canadiens, but it was speculation rather than a report. [Sportsnet]
  • It should be noted that Columbus is not actively attempting to trade Marchenko, but given the interest from several teams, they’re listening to offers.
  • The Habs pulled off a very minor deal, late on Thursday. They dealt restricted free agent Luke Tuch to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for another RFA, forward Hunter McKown. The 23-year-old centre scored nine goals and 16 assists playing for the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) last season.
  • It was rather apparent, but Gorton confirmed that the NHL’s Trade Market is currently favouring selling teams, rather than buying teams, such as the Habs.
  • Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin is set to undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL, a situation she dealt with for most of the season.
  • It’s official! Rather than trading the pick, the Canadiens made their selection, choosing Russian forward Gleb Pugachyov in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The Habs traded up to ensure they would be able to add Pugachyov to their prospect pool. [Canadiens Trade Up, Draft Prospect Pugachyov]
  • It’s not always easy to get a good read on the prospects who are developing in Russia, which is why we turned to various scouting outlets to acquire as much information as possible on Pugachyov’s potential. He’s fast, he’s a hard worker, and he absolutely loves violence. [Scouting Profile: Canadiens Add Physicality With Pugachyov]
  • The Canadiens reportedly submitted a “massive offer” for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko. While the actual assets involved were not revealed, it does align with the team’s desire to add high-end talent to the lineup. [Canadiens Submit “MASSIVE” Trade Offer For Marchenko]
  • Speaking of Marchenko, he’s apparently seeking a new contract in the $11M annual average value range. If the Canadiens make a trade including Marchenko, they’ll have to move a player such as Brendan Gallagher to add a little financial manoeuvrability to the mix.
  • The Canadiens released their preseason schedule for 2026-27, and they will only face two very familiar opponents: The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.
  • Top Habs prospect Michael Hage was named as one of the best hockey players outside the NHL by the 2026 NHL Draft Class.
  • The NHL hopefuls also picked Canadiens rookie netminder Jakub Dobes as one of the best goalies in the league, which is a little surprising. Recency bias or not, it was a nice acknowledgement of Dobes’ impressive evolution into a legitimate NHL goaltender.
  • As usual, Juraj Slafkovsky has returned to Slovakia for his summer training, where he’s working out with fellow NHL and countryman Erik Cernak.
  • The Canadiens made several trades over the weekend, though none of them to acquire an NHL player. Rather, they moved up to pick Gleb Pugachyov, as well as Timofei Runtso. In total, the team would go on to make eight picks.
  • The recurring theme when evaluating the players chosen by the Canadiens was the fact that none of them stood below 6’0″. In fact, five of the players stand at 6’3″, or taller. A focus on physicality was definitely on the menu for the Canadiens. [Canadiens Draft Recap: Aggressive Trades And Violent Prospects]
  • ICYMI: Even though they did not pull off a blockbuster trade, it was not for a lack of trying. The Canadiens reportedly submitted a “massive offer” for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko. While the actual assets involved were not revealed, it does align with the team’s desire to add high-end talent to the lineup. [Canadiens Submit “MASSIVE” Trade Offer For Marchenko]
  • The Habs are convinced they’ve drafted another “unicorn”, as described by Martin Lapointe. While Pugachyov is a heavy hitter, he’s not simply a goon. He’s an excellent skater with offensive potential.
  • Pugachyov spoke to the media on Saturday, predicting it will take him roughly two seasons before he makes his way to the NHL.
  • It should be noted that there’s a possibility we’ll eventually see a Pugachyov, Ivan Demdidov, and Alexander Zharovsky trio in Montreal.
  • Watch first-round pick Gleb Pugachyov obliterate his opponents with an endless stream of thunderous hits. [VIDEO: Pugachyov Hit Parade]
avatar
By Marc Dumont
Marc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The ... More about Marc Dumont

Tap Here To Add Sportsnaut As A Trusted Source on GoogleTap Here To Add Sportsnaut As A Trusted Source on Google

Got a story or tip for us?

Email Us

Sportsnaut: News, analysis, and rankings across every major sport. Where fans come first.

Follow us for breaking news and latest updates at Sportsnaut

Writer Opportunities Privacy Policy
© 2026 Sportsnaut