We're just five days away from the start of the 2026-27 season as the Montreal Canadiens will open things up on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (7 pm ET puck drop on Sportsnet).
Martin St. Louis' group still has two preseason games remaining - split squad contests against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday - before the team's coaching staff decides on who will be a part of the team's opening night roster, which needs to be submitted to the National Hockey League by 5 pm ET on Monday.
There's plenty of optimism surrounding Montreal's 2026-27 season, with many believing that the club can reach the Eastern Conference Final again. There could be some surprises along the way and today, we're going to take a look at my three bold predictions for the upcoming campaign.
Three Bold Predictions for Montreal Canadiens' 2026-27 Season
Montreal Canadiens Will Finish First in the Atlantic Division
Since the National Hockey League moved to their four-division format ahead of the 2013-14 season, the Montreal Canadiens have only been crowned Atlantic Division champions twice. However this season, that's going to change.
While teams like the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to bounce back after both missing the Stanley Cup Playoff entirely last season, the Montreal Canadiens still have a decent chance at topping the division, but it won't be easy. Along with the Panthers and Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning will also pose a challenge to the Canadiens this season.
The growth of Montreal's core is going to be key to the team's success this season and it comes with several questions. Can Cole Caufield reach 50 goals again? Can Nick Suzuki record another 100+ point season? Will Juraj Slafkovsky take his game to another level? Will Jakub Dobes continue the success he had in his rookie campaign? Could Lane Hutson reach a new level too and hit the 90-point plateau? If all of these questions become a 'yes' for the Montreal Canadiens, then don't be surprised if there's a 'Y' next to their name in the standings on the evening of Saturday, April 10th.
Ivan Demidov Reaches 100-Point Plateau
This prediction is probably a bit too bold, at least for the 2026-27 season, but we're going to go with it anyways.
Ivan Demidov's talent is undeniable. Scouts raved about Demidov's game throughout his draft year, which culminated in him being selected fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2024. He went back to the KHL and was the league's best rookie, finishing the 2024-25 season with 49 points in 60 games. In a surprise turn of events, instead of returning to the KHL for a second season, Demidov signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens in April of 2025, joining them for the final week of the regular season, along with their first round series against the Washington Capitals.
Everyone was excited to see what Demidov had in store for his rookie year in the National Hockey League and he did not disappoint. The Sergiyev Posad native registered 62 points in 82 regular season games, good for fifth on the Canadiens and first among rookies in the NHL. Demidov finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
A jump in production is to be expected for Ivan Demidov this season. What does that look like? Well, it's a bit too early to say, but anything is possible with a player that has that much skill. If he's able to shoot the puck more, something the Canadiens are hoping to see, a 30-35 goal season can't be ruled out. Could we see 60-65 assists, as well? Absolutely. With his high-end playmaking ability, I wouldn't be shocked if Demidov is hovering around the 100-point mark when all is said and done.
Montreal Canadiens Will Make Biggest Splash of Any NHL Team at the Trade Deadline
The National Hockey League's trade deadline for the 2026-27 season is set for Monday, March 1st at 3 pm ET. Assuming the Montreal Canadiens are having a successful regular season up to that point, I think they'll not only be one of the more active teams on that day, but they'll end up making the biggest move.
Since his hiring by the Montreal Canadiens in January of 2022, General Manager Kent Hughes has reserved his big moves for the offseason, notably Alex Newhook in 2023, Patrik Laine in 2024 and Noah Dobson in 2025. This year, I think he'll finally pull the trigger on a big in-season trade at the deadline to help put the Canadiens over the hill on their quest for a 25th Stanley Cup.
More and more names will become available as the season goes on, but in his first trade board of 2026-27, Nick Kypreos mentions names like Jason Robertson, Mark Scheifele, Matthew Knies, Alex Debrincat and Elias Pettersson. Some of those names may drop off the board by the time the trade deadline rolls around in early March, but Montreal has the pieces necessary to add a big name to their forward group this season and I firmly believe they'll end up making the biggest deal of the 2026-27 trade deadline.