After taking a big step in the right direction last season, the Montreal Canadiens have been very busy this off-season. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has undoubtedly been aggressive this off-season, as he made several notable roster moves.
The Canadiens' upgraded the right side of their defense in a big way, as they acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Emil Heineman and picks Nos. 16 and 17 of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The Canadiens then immediately signed Dobson to an eight-year, $76 million contract, cementing him as a long-term part of their core.
This was not the only exciting trade the Canadiens made this off-season, though. They also brought in promising young forward Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc should be a nice pickup, as he has shown very good promise early on his career. In 72 games last season, he set new career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points.
The Canadiens also improved their depth by bringing in players like Joe Veleno, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Sammy Blais. They also re-signed young goaltender Jakub Dobes to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $965,000.
Overall, it is hard not to be happy with the moves the Canadiens have made so far this off-season. Due to their strong moves, they have now received some serious praise.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Dom Luszczyszyn listed the Canadiens as the second-most improved this off-season. The only team ahead of the Canadiens on The Athletic's list are the San Jose Sharks.
When looking at the additions the Canadiens have made this off-season, it is understandable that they are viewed as a club that has significantly improved. They added a legitimate top-pairing defenseman in Dobson, a skilled forward on the rise in Bolduc, and some experienced depth players. Thus, it is hard not to feel optimistic about the Canadiens heading into 2025-26.
It will be intriguing to see how the Canadiens perform next season after their strong off-season, but it is fair to say that their roster looks better than it was last year.
Canadiens Have The Most Expensive Goaltending This Season (On Paper)According to Puckpedia’s numbers, the Montreal Canadiens have the most expensive goaltending in the NHL this season. They devote $14.8 million in salary to masked men, which accounts for the three goaltenders they have on NHL contracts and who aren’t waivers exempt: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Jakub Dobes. That works out to 15,5% of their cap.
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