Predicting Canadiens Opening Night Lineups and 2026-27 Pairings – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have put together the deepest roster they’ve had in years. As young stars continue to develop, veterans still play an important role and several battles are expected during training camp, Martin St. Louis will have many options when it comes to building his roster. While things can certainly change before opening night, here’s a guess at how the Canadiens could line up to start the 2026-27 season.

Forward Team

The Canadiens finally have enough depth to roll four lines that can contribute in different ways. The starting line-up remains unchanged, while the rest of the lineup offers a good combination of skill, speed, experience and physicality.

The first row earned the right to sit together. Suzuki continues to be the team’s leader down the middle, Caufield remains one of the most dangerous goalscorers and Slafkovsky has become an absolute force to help them.

When it comes to the second line, the big question is in the middle. Although the Canadiens were looking for someone to play next to Ivan Demidov, Jake Evans is likely to be the one to start the season on the second line. It would certainly be less than ideal. Another option would be to bring back Oliver Kapanen next to Demidov like the Habs did in the 2025-26 regular season.

Perhaps more importantly, Montreal now has internal competition at almost every forward position, something the organization has lacked for the past few seasons.

Settling on the Blue Line

The Canadiens defense appears to be similar to last season. There is a healthy mix of attacking ability, defensive commitment and physicality throughout the system.

The Canadiens still don’t have a real option to play around Hutson. Guhle and Struble have played part of the last few seasons with Hutson and one of the two may start the season with the electric defense.

The second pairing of Matheson and Dobson will give St. Louis is another duo that can move the puck well. Both defensemen can play heavy minutes and contribute offensively, making Montreal a threat whenever they switch from defense to offense.

One of the biggest battles to watch during training camp will be between Xhekaj and Struble at the end position on the blue line. Struble may have the inside track because of his consistency and ability to play a simple, reliable defensive game alongside Carrier. That said, Xhekaj brings something that very few players in the league have. His physicality, stamina and determination to protect his teammates can completely change the momentum of a game.

Between the pipes

Goaltending is always an interesting position for the Canadiens. Surprisingly, Samuel Montembeault is still part of the organization and it could cause an internal battle during training camp.

Jakub Dobes earned a chance to enter the season as the projected starter after showing he could handle big moments in last year’s playoffs. His calm presence and athleticism have given the Canadiens confidence that he can continue to develop into a long-term goaltender.

Alongside him, Jacob Fowler looks poised to make the jump after another outstanding year of development. Instead of rushing him into a tough job, sharing responsibilities with Dobes will allow the organization to slowly introduce one of its top prospects to the NHL.

• Samuel Montembeault
• Arber Xhekaj
• Owen Beck

Montembeault provides excellent insurance in case of injury or if the coaching staff decides to carry three goalies at different points during the season. Beck continues to be one of the organization’s most reliable young forwards and could easily slot into the lineup, while Xhekaj provides valuable depth on the blue line.

Looking at this lineup, it’s clear how much the Canadiens have improved over the past few seasons. The roster is smaller, deeper and more competitive than in the rebuilding years. There will undoubtedly be battles during training camp and several young players will push for bigger roles, but if this is anything like the team Montreal opened the season with, the Canadiens should once again be in good shape to compete for a playoff spot while continuing to build toward a long-term Stanley Cup contender.