The Canadiens could be Canada’s breakout team in 2025-26

Last season, the Montreal Canadiens earned a playoff birth for the first time in four years. They may have been eliminated quickly, but taking that step forward was major for a franchise that’s been in a full-blown rebuild losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.

This offseason, the Canadiens acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and Zac Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues, improving both their forward and defensive corps, which are already on the upswing.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Montreal fans and hockey observers are now wondering how good this group could be and if they might be the next 100-point team in the NHL.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Matt Larkin rank all seven of Canada’s NHL teams and discuss where the Canadiens fall on that list.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I’m going to give you some props, because I see the ranking you’re about to throw my way, and I wish I had the guts you have. I wanted to put Montreal higher, but you actually did.

Matt Larkin: Yeah, I’m all about that hype train … if you look at Montreal, you’re getting a full season of Ivan Demidov, who is probably the No. 2 prospect in the world after Matthew Schaefer. Lane Hudson, he just had his rookie season and is still ascending. You traded for Noah Dobson, you have a new defenseman for your top pair. Your bottom six is young and physical, and I should say, Sam Montembeault is a good goaltender, especially as the team around him improves.

The Habs were already a playoff team last year, and I think they can keep getting better. I like them as a breakout team, I could see them being a 100-point team this year. So yes, that’s my hot take: the Canadiens are Canada’s second-best chance of a Stanley Cup right now.

Tyler Yaremchuk: A 100-point team, that would be very interesting. They were at 91 last year, is there a path? Okay, what’s Demidov worth, is he an extra couple points here and there? You talk about Hudson, does he somehow have another level? I needed very little convincing to get on this Montreal hype train.

That Zac Bolduc deal, if he ends up just being a 20-goal, third-line player, that changes the whole look of that lineup. When you go Demidov, Bolduc, Dobson: three potential impact guys.

Matt Larkin: Absolutely and I lovehat that trade for Montreal. Especially for them, because Logan Mailloux, that was dealing from a position of extreme strength, especially since you have Noah Dobson now. You bring in someone who is immediately going to make an impact. Bolduc was on my All-Rookie ballot, and I think he was No. 5 on my Calder Trophy ballot. His goal total was in the high teens, but he was also really good defensively, so that’s a player who is really good for your middle six.

What an offseason for Kent Hughes, an absolute virtuoso offseason.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…