The Montreal Canadiens returned to the ice in Brossard for their first scrimmage of the fall, and the early signals from practice are already reshaping expectations for the upcoming season. The most tantalizing development came in the form of a defensive pairing that sent a jolt through the fanbase, as Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson were spotted working together, a duo that briefly tormented the NHL last year before injury struck. The sight of those two patrolling the blue line together offers a glimpse of a power-play nightmare for opponents and a transition game that could redefine this franchise’s ceiling.
The reunion of Hutson and Dobson is not merely a nostalgic nod to what was, but a declaration of intent from the coaching staff. Last season, when paired, they controlled possession at an elite rate, driving play into the offensive zone with a chemistry that belied their short time together. Dobson’s booming point shot combined with Hutson’s elite evasion creates a two-headed monster on the man advantage, one that could vault Montreal’s power play from respectable to terrifying.
The question now shifts to whether the coaching staff trusts this pairing at even strength enough to deploy them as a shutdown unit, or if they will be sheltered in offensive-zone starts to maximize their output.
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The scrimmage also offered clarity on the bottom pairing, where Arber Xhekaj appears to have seized the inside track for a regular role over Jayden Struble. Xhekaj was rotating in with the second unit while Struble worked on the periphery, a subtle but significant shift in the pecking order. This suggests the coaching staff values Xhekaj’s physicality and net-front presence to complement the offensive stylists higher up the depth chart.
With Mike Matheson skating alone on the side, rehabbing from an undisclosed issue, the door is ajar for a younger defenseman to seize a top-four role out of camp, but Xhekaj’s steady rise indicates he is no longer just a fan favorite, but a trusted commodity in the room.
The absence of Cole Caufield and Kaiden Guhle from the session loomed large, casting a shadow over the team’s health outlook with the season opener just weeks away. Guhle’s absence is particularly concerning given his status as the team’s premier shutdown defenseman, and any lingering issue could force the coaching staff to recalibrate their entire defensive structure. Caufield’s situation remains murky, with no official word on whether this is precautionary or something more sinister.
The team’s medical staff has a history of being tight-lipped, but the anxiety among fans is palpable, especially given Caufield’s goal-scoring prowess is the engine that makes the top line go. Until either player returns to full practice, the specter of injury will hang over every drill and scrimmage
Meanwhile, the contract standoff with restricted free agent Zachary Bolduc has taken on new urgency after the Boston Bruins handed Fraser Minton a massive seven-year, $7. 2 million AAV extension. Minton, who posted a modest 35 points last season, just reset the market for young forwards with similar pedigrees, and Bolduc’s camp is undoubtedly pointing to that deal as the new baseline for negotiations.
Bolduc outproduced Minton last year with 36 points in his first full NHL season, yet he remains unsigned while the team holds firm on a bridge deal. The leverage war has officially begun, and the longer this drags on, the more the salary cap inflation works against Montreal’s position
The Minton deal is a watershed moment for the league’s salary structure, signaling that teams are now willing to pay premium dollars for potential over proven production. For the Canadiens, this complicates their carefully constructed cap hierarchy, where veterans have accepted team-friendly terms to keep the core intact. Bolduc’s agent will argue that his client’s ceiling is higher than Minton’s, citing his playoff performances and his ability to drive play from the wing.
The Canadiens counter that Bolduc has yet to prove he can sustain that production over a full 82-game season, having faded down the stretch last year. This standoff could bleed into training camp, a distraction no team wants as they fine-tune their systems
In the KHL, another Montreal prospect is making waves that could alter the trade deadline landscape. Alexander Romanov, playing on a line with Vadim Shipachyov, the league’s all-time leading scorer, has exploded out of the gate with four points in two games, a point-per-game pace that has turned heads across the hockey world. Shipachyov, never one to lavish praise freely, offered a ringing endorsement that Romanov could play in the NHL right now, citing his hockey IQ and his ability to create space for his linemates.
These comments, coming from a living legend, carry weight in scouting circles and could inflate Romanov’s trade value to a premium level by the deadline
Romanov’s development is a double-edged sword for Kent Hughes. On one hand, having a young defenseman performing at this level overseas bolsters the organization’s asset depth, giving them flexibility to swing a blockbuster trade for a top-six winger without gutting the prospect pool. On the other, it creates a logjam on the blue line when he eventually comes over, forcing difficult decisions on who stays and who goes.
The Canadiens already have Hutson, Dobson, Matheson, Guhle, Xhekaj, and Reinbacher vying for spots, and Romanov’s emergence only intensifies the competition. For now, his stock is rising, and the front office is likely fielding calls from teams desperate for right-shot defensemen with offensive instincts
The scrimmage also revealed intriguing forward combinations, with Kirby Dach slotted onto the fourth line in a clear message that nothing is guaranteed. Dach, a former third-overall pick, has struggled to find consistency since arriving in Montreal, and the coaching staff is daring him to earn a promotion. This demotion could be the kickstart he needs, or it could signal that the organization is losing patience with his development curve.
The pressure is on Dach to prove he belongs in the top six, especially with Bolduc’s situation unresolved and the team needing secondary scoring beyond the top line. His performance in the coming preseason games will be scrutinized more than any other player’s on the roster
The defensive pairings during the scrimmage offered a roadmap for opening night, with David Reinbacher skating alongside Adam Engstrom in what could be a preview of the team’s future second pairing. Reinbacher, the fifth-overall pick from 2023, has bulked up over the summer and looked more comfortable moving the puck against pro competition. Engstrom, a smooth-skating Swede, complements him well with his gap control and breakout passing.
If this pairing can hold its own in the preseason, the coaching staff may feel emboldened to carry eight defensemen into the regular season, allowing them to ease the rookies in without exposing them to waivers. This flexibility is a luxury most teams don’t possess, but it also creates roster logjams that could force a trade before the deadline
The absence of Matheson from full contact drills is a storyline to monitor, as he is the team’s most experienced blue-liner and their quarterback on the first power-play unit. If his injury lingers, the coaching staff may have to lean more heavily on Hutson to run the top unit, a responsibility the young star has embraced in flashes but not yet sustained over a full season. The team’s medical staff has not released a timeline, but the cautious approach suggests they are prioritizing his long-term health over short-term readiness.
For a team with playoff aspirations, having Matheson at 100 percent is non-negotiable, and rushing him back would be a catastrophic misstep
As the Canadiens inch closer to training camp, the questions outweigh the answers. The Hutson-Dobson pairing offers a tantalizing glimpse of what could be, but their effectiveness hinges on the supporting cast’s ability to handle tougher minutes. The Bolduc contract saga looms over the locker room, a reminder that business often intrudes on sport.
And the injury status of Caufield and Guhle remains a cloud of uncertainty. Yet, for the first time in years, there is a palpable sense of optimism in Brossard, a feeling that this roster, when fully healthy and signed, has the pieces to compete with the league’s elite. The path is fraught with peril, but the destination is finally visible
The Canadiens’ front office, led by Kent Hughes, has masterfully navigated the salary cap to this point, but the Minton deal has thrown a wrench into their long-term planning. With several key players needing extensions next summer, including a potential monster deal for Caufield, the team can ill afford to overpay Bolduc on a bridge deal that could set a precedent. The leverage, however, is shifting, and every day that passes without a signing emboldens the player’s camp.
The team’s hope is that Bolduc, seeing the internal culture of team-friendly deals, will eventually blink and accept a three-year term that buys out his remaining RFA years. If not, the standoff could drag into the regular season, a distraction that could derail their momentum out of the gate
The KHL buzz around Romanov is not just a feel-good story; it is a strategic asset. The Canadiens have a surplus of left-shot defensemen, and Romanov’s rising stock makes him the most attractive trade chip in their system. A contender desperate for blue-line help could part with a first-round pick or a young top-six forward to acquire him, a deal that would instantly address Montreal’s scoring needs.
The front office is likely monitoring the market closely, waiting for the right offer to materialize. Romanov, for his part, seems content to continue developing in the KHL, where he is logging big minutes against grown men, a better developmental environment than the AHL. His trajectory suggests he will be an NHL player soon, whether in Montreal or elsewhere, and the organization is positioning itself to profit from that inevitability
The scrimmage’s forward lines also hinted at a potential shakeup on the wings, with Emil Heineman getting looks alongside Dach on the fourth line, a pairing that could provide a jolt of energy and forechecking pressure. Heineman, a relentless puck pursuer, could be the perfect complement to Dach’s size and skill, creating a cycle game that wears down opposing defenses. The coaching staff is clearly experimenting, throwing combinations against the wall to see what sticks before the real games begin.
This openness to change is refreshing, but it also means that no roster spot is safe, keeping every player on edge and pushing them to perform at their peak
The goaltending situation remains stable, with Sam Montembeault expected to carry the load after signing his extension, but the backup role is up for grabs between Cayden Primeau and Jakub Dobes. Primeau, who showed flashes of brilliance last season but struggled with consistency, needs a strong camp to cement his role. Dobes, a towering netminder with a calm demeanor, could push for the job if he impresses in the preseason.
The competition is healthy, and the team’s defensive structure, if improved as expected, will make life easier for whichever goaltender earns the crease. The margin between a playoff berth and a lottery pick could come down to goaltending, making this battle one of the most critical storylines of the fall
As the team skated off the ice at Brossard, the buzz among the assembled media was unmistakable. The Hutson-Dobson pairing, the Xhekaj ascension, the Bolduc uncertainty, and the Romanov headlines from overseas all coalesce into a narrative of a franchise on the cusp. The Canadiens are no longer rebuilding; they are reloading for a serious run.
The pieces are in place, the cap is manageable, and the prospect pipeline is overflowing. Now, it is a matter of execution, of staying healthy, of signing the remaining free agents, and of translating practice chemistry into regular-season results. The season opener cannot come soon enough, but for now, the glimpses from Brossard offer plenty of reason for hope.
The landscape of the Habs has indeed changed, and the future has never looked brighter
