Projecting the Canadiens’ Opening Night Lines and Pairings for 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have assembled one of the deepest rosters they’ve had in years. With young stars continuing to develop, veterans still playing important roles and several roster battles expected during training camp, Martin St. Louis will have plenty of options when it comes to building his lineup. While things can certainly change before opening night, here’s one projection of how the Canadiens could line up to begin the 2026-27 season.

Forward Group

The Canadiens finally have enough depth to roll four lines capable of contributing in different ways. The first line remains unchanged, while the rest of the lineup offers a nice blend of skill, speed, experience and physicality.

The first line has earned the right to stay together. Suzuki continues to be the team’s leader down the middle, Caufield remains one of the league’s most dangerous goal scorers and Slafkovsky has become the perfect power forward to complement them.

When it comes to the second line, the biggest question is at centre. While the Canadiens have been looking for someone to play next to Ivan Demidov, Jake Evans would likely be the one to start the season on the second line. It would certainly be less than ideal. The other option would be to bring back Oliver Kapanen next to Demidov just like the Habs did during the 2025-26 regular season.

Perhaps more importantly, Montreal now has internal competition at nearly every forward position, something the organization lacked only a few seasons ago.

Stability on the Blue Line

The Canadiens’ defense appears identical to last season. There is a healthy mix of offensive ability, defensive responsibility and physicality throughout the lineup.

The Canadiens still don’t have a true option to play next to Hutson. Guhle and Struble did play part of the last couple of seasons with Hutson and one of the two is likely going to start the season paired with the electric defenseman.

The second pairing of Matheson and Dobson would give St. Louis another duo capable of moving the puck efficiently. Both defensemen can play heavy minutes and contribute offensively, making Montreal dangerous whenever they transition from defense to attack.

One of the biggest battles to watch during training camp will be between Xhekaj and Struble for the final spot on the blue line. Struble may have the inside track thanks to his consistency and ability to play a simple, reliable defensive game alongside Carrier. That said, Xhekaj brings an element that very few players around the league possess. His physicality, toughness and willingness to protect his teammates can completely change the momentum of a game. 

Between the Pipes

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

Jakub Dobes earned the opportunity to enter the season as the projected starter after proving he could handle big moments during last year’s playoff run. His calm presence and athleticism have given the Canadiens confidence that he can continue developing into a long-term number-one goaltender.

Alongside him, Jacob Fowler appears ready to make the jump after another outstanding year of development. Rather than rushing him into a heavy workload, sharing responsibilities with Dobes would allow the organization to gradually introduce one of its top prospects to the NHL.

• Samuel Montembeault
• Arber Xhekaj
• Owen Beck

Montembeault provides excellent insurance should injuries occur or if the coaching staff decides to carry three goaltenders at different points during the season. Beck continues to be one of the organization’s most reliable young forwards and could easily force his way into the lineup, while Xhekaj offers valuable depth on the blue line.

Looking at this projected roster, it’s clear how much the Canadiens have progressed over the past few seasons. The lineup is younger, deeper and far more competitive than it was during the rebuilding years. There will undoubtedly be battles during training camp and several young players will push for bigger roles, but if this is close to the group Montreal opens the season with, the Canadiens should once again be well-positioned to compete for a playoff spot while continuing to build toward long-term Stanley Cup contention.