Montreal’s push from rebuild project to Stanley Cup threat has picked up another layer of belief with Chris Kreider in the room, Martin St. Louis under contract through 2029-30, and a young core that has already learned the hard way in the playoffs.
The Canadiens are being talked about as a possible 2026-27 Cup winner, a remarkable turn for a club that had been out of the postseason for three straight springs from 2021 through 2024. Montreal last brought the Cup to Canada in 1993, and the current group is aiming at the franchise’s 25th championship.
Quick facts
- Chris Kreider joined Montreal on a one-year deal after his contract with the Anaheim Ducks was terminated.
- Kreider, 35, ranks third in New York Rangers history with 326 goals and fifth with 883 games played.
- Martin St. Louis agreed to a four-year extension on Sept. 14 that runs through 2029-30.
- Josh Anderson was named an alternate captain on Sept. 14 after scoring five goals in 19 playoff games last season.
- Jakub Dobes posted nine playoff wins, a 2.66 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage last spring.
Kreider arrives as a familiar face for St. Louis; the two were Rangers teammates for parts of two seasons, from 2013 to 2015. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound winger gives Montreal a veteran who can play through traffic and make life uncomfortable around the blue paint.
“We needed more experience, more sandpaper and a net-front guy,” St. Louis said. “Chris checks all boxes, but all boxes don’t matter unless he’s a quality human being. It starts with that.”
Kreider said the club’s identity and atmosphere helped sell him on the move. “I’m thrilled to be a Canadien,” he said. “It’s the way they do things — the culture they’ve built, the group they have. I’m excited.”
His game still carries value in the scoring areas that matter most: high-danger chances, tips and deflections, plus enough speed to pressure defenders on the rush. Montreal did not add him simply for his résumé; it added a player built for the heavier shifts that come in April and May.
The foundation of the turnaround dates to Nov. 28, 2021, when owner Geoff Molson hired Jeff Gorton as executive vice president of hockey operations. Kent Hughes took over as general manager on Jan. 18, 2022, and St. Louis was installed behind the bench less than a month later, on Feb. 9.
Since then, the Canadiens have steadily outpaced expectations while assembling a younger, more skilled roster. Ken Daneyko called the work of Hughes, Gorton and St. Louis a strong job of developing a talented core.
There is also a growing leadership group inside the room. Suzuki praised Anderson after the forward received his alternate-captain designation, pointing to the winger’s daily habits, his treatment of teammates and his playoff impact.
Anderson’s five goals over 19 postseason games helped Montreal reach the Eastern Conference Final last season. That run gave the Canadiens the kind of playoff mileage that often separates a promising team from one ready to survive four rounds.
Dobes is central to whether Montreal can take the next step. He won Game 7 in each of the first two rounds last postseason, posting a .908 save percentage while facing the pressure that comes with elimination hockey.
The comparison around Montreal has reached back to 1970-71, when rookie goaltender Ken Dryden helped the Canadiens upset a Boston Bruins club led by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito before marching to the Cup. Dobes has not earned that kind of historical footing yet, but his first playoff run gave the Canadiens a reason to think big.
For Montreal, the equation is straightforward: a maturing core, experienced additions such as Kreider, a coach secured for the long haul, and a goaltender who has already answered Game 7 calls. The Canadiens are no longer merely building toward contention; they have entered the conversation now.
