League: NHL Sport: Hockey Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Montreal Canadiens enter 2026-27 season following Eastern Conference Final run

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 9, 2026, 12:00 PM

Last updated Sep 9, 2026

Montreal Canadiens enter 2026-27 season following Eastern Conference Final run

Summary

The Montreal Canadiens prepare for the 2026-27 season after reaching the Eastern Conference Final in the previous campaign. After defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres, the team was eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes signed long-term contract extensions this summer, while Brendan Gallagher was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. The team remains in negotiation with restricted free agents Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj ahead of training camp. General manager Kent Hughes continues to evaluate options to strengthen the roster before the season starts.

Source Links

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Status Watch

•Ivan Demidov signed an eight-year contract extension with a $9.15 million cap hit.
•Jakub Dobes secured a three-year deal starting in 2027-28.
•Brendan Gallagher was traded to the Vancouver Canucks to open roster and cap space.
•Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj remain unsigned restricted free agents.
•The Canadiens eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in the 2026 postseason.

Latest Updates

12:00 PMYahoo Sports — Puck Drop Preview: 2026-27 Montreal Canadiens

What they're saying

"
Last Word On Hockey‘s Puck Drop Previews are back for the 2026-27 season! As the regular season approaches, Last Word will preview each team’s current outlook and stories to watch for the upcoming year. We’ll also do our best to project how things will go for each team throughout the campaign. Today, we’re previewing the 2026-27 …
— Yahoo Sports

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