5 Canadiens players who are most likely on the trade block entering training camp
It has been a relatively quiet offseason for the Montreal Canadiens but that doesn’t mean that general manager Kent Hughes isn’t going to make any moves. In fact, he has two pressing needs that he has to address with restricted free agents Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj.
At the same time, he is still searching for ways to upgrade the roster and that could impact the two restricted free agents they still have unsigned. However, those aren’t the only players that Hughes could offer up in a trade package.
When looking at the roster and the players available in a trade, these are the five most likely to be traded before the start of the 2026-27 season.
5. Kirby Dach
Kirby Dach was also a restricted free agent this summer, but unlike Bolduc and Xhekaj, he elected to go to arbitration after the Canadiens offered a two-way contract. The two sides never got to arbitration and agreed on a one-year deal worth $3.6 million.
Dach is probably not a player who would be a central part of a trade, but rather part of a package that might be needed to add to what the Montreal Canadiens are offering. Over the past four seasons, Dach has struggled to stay healthy and, even when on the ice, hasn’t necessarily been impactful, with 77 points over 154 games.
However, he is only 26 years old, and depending on the teams the Canadiens are talking to, there may be some interest, especially from rebuilding teams.
4. Samuel Montembeault
Samuel Montembeault lost not only the starting job but also the backup job last season with the Montreal Canadiens, as he was passed by Jakub Dobes during the season and then by Jacob Fowler in the playoffs. It felt almost certain that Montembeault would be moved so the Canadiens could create a path for Fowler to play in the NHL.
However, that trade hasn’t materialized, and it likely was due to the Canadiens not getting the value they wanted. It is understandable, since he did struggle so much, and they are probably hoping he can improve his value early in the upcoming season.
Even if that is the plan, if there is a team out there that all of a sudden has a need at the position due to injuries during training camp or preseason, then Montembeault could still be moved before the start of the season.
3. Zachary Bolduc
The most likely end result for Zachary Bolduc is that the two sides reach a new contract and that gets done in the near future. However, the reason that he is number three here is that the Canadiens might be willing to listen, and Bolduc is a player who certainly would generate more interest around the league than Dach or Montembeault.
The Canadiens traded for Bolduc last summer with the St. Louis Blues, and in his first season in Montreal had 30 points in 78 games. In the playoffs though is where he really showed his value as he kept the offensive production, seven points in 19 games, but was one of their most physical forwards with 47 hits during that stretch.
Size and physicality is something that is lacking in the Canadiens’ forwards, and they probably would not trade that away willingly. However, if it were a trade that might bring back Kirill Marchenko, then that would be a willing trade-off for Montreal.
2. Adam Engstrom
The Montreal Canadiens have a logjam on their blueline and they are going to have to trade someone before the start of the season. While Arber Xhekaj is the most likely, Adam Engstrom is a prospect that the Montreal Canadiens might be willing to offer up as well.
Engstrom was a third-round pick by the Canadiens in the 2022 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut last season. He is a versatile defenseman who can play on either side and had his best season as a pro with 34 points in 45 games in the AHL and he appeared in 15 games at the NHL level.
1. Arber Xhekaj
While the Montreal Canadiens probably don’t want to trade Arber Xhekaj, there really isn’t a spot in the lineup for him right now. Last season, he only played in 65 games and had a career-low average ice time of 11:25, while being a regular healthy scratch late in the season and in the playoffs.
The reason that the Canadiens don’t want to trade Xhekaj, similar to Bolduc, is that they don’t have anyone who plays like him. He is a physical presence on the blueline and certainly could help the Canadiens. However, they already have too many defensemen under contract, with prospects like Engstrom and David Reinbacher pushing for spots.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out and whether or not the Canadiens are able to sign Xhekaj. However, as these contract discussions are going on, Kent Hughes is probably spending equal time in trade talks involving Xhekaj. That is why he is the most likely to be traded before the start of the 2026-27 season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
