Canadiens Wrap: Training Camp Battles, Kreider Signs, Zharovsky
MONTREAL — Every day features an abundance of Montreal Canadiens news, and we’re all bound to miss a story or two. With that in mind, we will recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Canadiens loop.
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Montreal Canadiens News And Notes
- The Montreal Canadiens main training camp opens on September 16. Juraj Slafkovsky and others have already made their way back to Montreal ahead of the upcoming season.
Lucky them 🙏🙏🙏🙏😍😍😍😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/HWWTeLxtCU
— Lucie Lachance (@LucieLou08) September 6, 2026
- Even though the Habs are looking to upgrade two key positions, there’s a certain risk involved in dealing some of the team’s top young players. On the flip side of the coin, to acquire a top-four defenceman, or a top-six centre, moving one of the best prospects may be unavoidable. [Canadiens Trade Options: Save The Prospects]
Habs prospect Alexander Zharovsky gets his first point of the season for HC Salavat.
He finished the game with two assists. pic.twitter.com/TKFCtKAdBc
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 7, 2026
- Gleb Pugachyov was hit hard into the boards from behind in the MHL, but thankfully, he did not have to leave the game. There’s still some concern, as the game was almost over, and Pugachyov did not take another shift. [Canadiens Top Prospects: Pugachyov’s Physical Prowess]
Gleb Pugachyov was just pushed from behind into the boards. Looks like he’s staying in the game. pic.twitter.com/mYnSYnH4ln
— William Dubé (@williamdube_) September 7, 2026
- Here’s your daily dose of Lane Hutson highlights:
3 assist day for Lane Hutson.
Does he get your Calder 🏆 vote? pic.twitter.com/J1qpw1mOHq
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) March 30, 2025
- Seeing as the Habs failed to land a notable player in free agency or via a trade, it’s a good time to take a look at the remaining unrestricted free agents on the market. Training camp starts shortly, which means the aging players may be willing to accept a short-term deal. [Canadiens Roster Talk: Remaining NHL Free Agents]
- There was an informal practice on Tuesday, featuring different defensive pairings on the blue line. Now, to be accurate, Mike Matheson did not participate in the drills; therefore it’s not necessarily a case of the Habs intending to run new defensive pairings in the upcoming season, but it was still interesting to see Noah Dobson line up alongside Lane Hutson, Alexander Carrier with Arber Xhekaj, and Adam Engstrom slotted with David Reinbacher. Jayden Struble was the player who rotated into the various pairings. [Canadiens Top Prospects: Reinbacher’s Improved Skill Set]
Lane Hutson et Noah Dobson forment un duo à la défense, tandis que Jayden Struble fait la rotation.
Les autres duos sont les suivants :
• Carrier – Xhekaj
• Engstrom – ReinbacherMike Matheson s’est entraîné en solitaire, mais ne participe pas au match intra-équipe.… pic.twitter.com/wGEvrSd0Uw
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 8, 2026
Après le match, quelques joueurs ont profité de l’occasion pour effectuer des tirs de barrage sur Jacob Fowler. Ivan Demidov a notamment surpris le gardien entre les jambières. 👀🏒@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #Demidov #NHL pic.twitter.com/VSvduLhWli
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 8, 2026
- Cole Caufield was unavailable, which led to Kirby Dach taking his spot on the first line.
En l’absence de Cole Caufield, c’est Kirby Dach qui complète le premier trio aux côtés de Nick Suzuki et Juraj Slafkovsky. 👀🏒@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #Dach #NHL pic.twitter.com/SWNg0NI90J
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 8, 2026
- Here’s your daily dose of Lane Hutson highlights, confirming that the man only has one speed: top speed. He was out there giving his all during the pre-pre-preseason.
Même lors d’un match improvisé un 8 septembre, Lane Hutson se replie comme si sa vie en dépendait 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/sSPie420DF
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 8, 2026
- The Habs attempted to add a top-six player to the mix, preferably a centre, but failed to improve the situation down the middle of the ice. Fortunately for the Canadiens, their centres are now a year older and wiser, which should help them navigate the complicated situation. [Canadiens Camp Battles: The Imperfect Centre Situation]
- While there won’t be any blue-chip prospects at the Canadiens rookie camp, which is set to open on Friday, there are still a handful of players that are worth monitoring, including Owen Protz, Parker Trottier, and Tyler Thorpe. [Canadiens Rookie Camp Schedule And Players To Watch]
- Several American players have made it clear they want to avoid pressure-packed markets in Canada, but that’s not the case for Cole Caufield, who loves quoting Billie Jean King’s famous line: “Pressure is a privilege.”
Cole Caufield is one American hockey player who can’t foresee requesting a trade south of the border, writes @lukefoxjukebox. https://t.co/yDY84H83gU
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 9, 2026
La bannière de Carey Price est désormais accrochée dans notre célèbre Grand Hall Esso! 🏛️✨
La bannière nouvellement installée rejoint celles des camarades de Price de la cuvée 2026 intronisée au Temple de la renommée du hockey, alors que le compte à rebours pour le weekend… pic.twitter.com/Gs9I1YX5yW
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) September 9, 2026
- Arber Xhekaj showed off some smooth moves at practice in Brossard.
Arber s’est donné en show ce matin à Brossard 👀 #gohabsgo🔵⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/GnOsBTua8f
— DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) September 9, 2026
- The Habs held an intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday, featuring several changes to their traditional lines and pairings. Kirby Dach was used as the second-line centre, alongside Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook. Of course, since it’s still the pre-pre-preseason, we must take these combinations with a rather large grain of salt. [First Look At New Canadiens Lines And Defensive Pairings]
- Chris Kreider certainly isn’t a fan favourite in Montreal, due to the incident that injured Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs. However, he could still be of some use to the Habs, especially now that the Anaheim Ducks have terminated his contract. Kreider went through waivers, which means he’s not available to sign a new contract with any team he desires. As per usual, there are several important factors in play. [NHL Free Agency: Evaluating Kreider’s Potential Impact With The Canadiens]
- Laval Rocket head coach Daniel Jacob will be running the show at the rookie camp. He’s in the perfect situation to offer the type of insight necessary when evaluating young players who hope to one day earn a permanent job in the NHL, including Owen Protz. [Canadiens Top Prospects: Owen Protz Personifies Physicality]
Laval Rocket coach Daniel Jacob today on Owen Protz at Habs rookie camp:
“What I like the most about him is that he’s a great kid. He’s willing and eager to learn…We could tell, he would apply what he was told, and he tried. For me, that’s the biggest thing: being a good kid,… pic.twitter.com/Z7GqCRIeKy
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 10, 2026
- Protz was among the prospects who hit the ice early in Brossard.
C’est parti pour le camp des recrues du Canadien! 🏒👀⬇️
Tyler Thorpe, Owen Protz et Arseni Radkov, entre autres, sont déjà sur la glace ce matin à Brossard.@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #HabsProspect #Thorpe pic.twitter.com/ChAthFM387
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 10, 2026
- Meanwhile, Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck, and David Reinbacher were running drills with the main group of Canadiens players.
Tous les joueurs sont présents sur la glace ce matin à l’entraînement. 👀
Mike Matheson, qui avait patiné en solitaire au cours des deux derniers jours, est de retour avec ses coéquipiers.
David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom et Owen Beck font également partie du groupe.… pic.twitter.com/d3VxYnWuaJ
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 10, 2026
- Unsurprisingly, countrymen Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov are good buddies.
Matvei Michkov on his friend Ivan Demidov:
“This one is Vanya Demidov’s jersey. After our game when Philadelphia played Montreal, we exchanged jerseys. We’re really close, we talk a lot.” pic.twitter.com/Ic8RCxHVNG
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 10, 2026
- With the main training camp looming, we evaluated the potential battles among wingers for the available spots within the Canadiens lineup. Alexandre Texier may end up playing role for the Habs on the wing, while Kirby Dach could end up being the wild card given his struggles down the middle of the ice. [Canadiens Training Camp Battles: Wild Card Wingers, Dark Horse Candidates]
- Let’s just say Cole Caufield’s face scan for NHL27 is . . . questionable, to say the least. He looks like he’s been crossing the desert for the last four weeks and is in desperate need of hydration.
Cole Caufield on his NHL 27 face scan:
“I don’t know what happened there. I look a little lost. I look like I need some sleep or some water. I don’t know. It’s tough.”
“Every time I open my phone, it’s there. Somebody will send it to me.” pic.twitter.com/hLZie9yz8j
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 11, 2026
- There were new lines at practice on Friday. Okay, they weren’t real lines, and it wasn’t a real practice, but it’s still interesting to see the combinations nonetheless. Kirby Dach played with Jake Evans and Josh Anderson, while Alex Newhook was reunited with Ivan Demidov and
Nous avons droit, encore une fois, à un match intra-équipe ce matin. 👀🏒
Équipe blanche :
Slafkovsky – Suzuki – Caufield
Bolduc – Danault – Texier
Hutson – Dobson
Reinbacher – ArseneauÉquipe rouge :
Newhook – Kapanen – Demidov
Dach – Evans – Anderson
Engstrom – Struble
Xhekaj… pic.twitter.com/1vHctSOaqg— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 11, 2026
- The Canadiens rookies lost 3-1 versus the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon, with a few players excelling for the Habs. Luke Mittelstadt, Dillan Bentley, and Tyler Thorpe were among the standout players for head coach Daniel Jacob. [Canadiens Rookie Highlights: Bentley, Thorpe Stand Out]
