What Does A Successful 2026-27 NHL Season Look Like For The Montreal Canadiens?
The Montreal Canadiens had a step-forward season in 2025-26, finishing in third in the Atlantic Division and winning two Stanley Cup playoff rounds. But what does a successful 2026-27 season look like for the Habs? Is it a Cup-or-bust year for Montreal, or is slow-but-continual improvement the key?
Video Transcript
The, the Canadians still have some restricted free agents, left to deal with this off-season.
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So Zach Bolduc, Arber Xhekaj, Sasha Pastujov.
I mean, of all of those guys, Corinne, what do you think that the Habs should do with these remaining RFAs?
Because time’s ticking here.
Well, the most interesting case, if you ask me, is Arber Xhekaj, and what’s interesting about this situation is that there’s interest for him around the league.
He can bring a lot to a team.
He’s got a big physicality factor.
But Martin St-Louis just doesn’t trust him.
So, you know, when he played in the playoffs, there was one game, I think, against Buffalo where he played under two minutes.
I mean, that’s, that’s not great.
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And Xhekaj could actually have filed for arbitration this summer, but he elected not to.
By choosing not to go for arbitration, he left himself open for offer sheets, and I think that’s a way of saying, “I’d like a new beginning elsewhere,” because he’s not really getting a chance in Montreal.
He’s been there in a duel with Kaiden Guhle for years now, and Adam Engstrom is inviting himself to the table now.
So I think for Montreal, the smart thing to do in considering the coach isn’t trusting Xhekaj much, would be to actually trade him, to get something in return, because it, it’s not a sustainable situation.
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And his agent was on TSN 690 the other day saying, “At the end of the day, the Canadiens will do what’s best for the Canadiens, and Arber Xhekaj will do what’s best for Arber Xhekaj.”
And for a 25-year-old guy, I don’t think staying put and being the seventh defenseman i- is what’s best for you, so.
