For the last 23 years (12 with The Hockey News), Dobber and his team have reviewed each team from a fantasy hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 24th annual review will appear here on Dobber Hockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey, both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future.

Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are considered when examining the depth chart and evaluating the potential of the players on it. Enjoy!

** Be sure to pick up your copy of the 2026-2027 Fantasy Hockey Guide **

Gone – Joe Veleno, Brendan Gallagher

Incoming – Brett Berard, Sasha Pastujov

Impact of Changes – The Canadiens had a relatively quiet offseason with minimal roster turnover. Montreal made no new additions outside of Brett Berard and Sasha Pastujov, both of whom weren't full-time NHLers in 2025-26. The two losses to last year’s squad were Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher was traded as a cap dump to the Vancouver Canucks while Veleno signed with the New York Rangers in free agency. Neither player carries any fantasy relevance as they were both healthy scratches throughout the season. Their departures will allow room for young players to play their way onto the roster.

Ready for Full Time – David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, Jacob Fowler, Sasha Pastujov, Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj

The Canadiens have several players who could make the full-time jump to the NHL next season. Kent Hughes has previously stated that he doesn't want to block the path of young players, which could be a leading factor as to why they've had such a quiet offseason. Goaltender Jacob Fowler should be a lock to be the Canadiens backup next season. After Samuel Montembeault faltered last year, Fowler and Jakub Dobes took over the crease for Montreal. It's unclear how many starts the rookie netminder will receive. However, he should see some ownership in fantasy, especially if Dobes struggles or experiences injury issues throughout the year.

As for the defence, former fifth-overall pick David Reinbacher as well as Adam Engstrom are both looking to make the jump. For Reinbacher, it’s now or never as the patience of fans and management is thinning in regards to his development and injury history. The problem right now is that the Canadiens have a logjam at defense. While Arber Xhekaj remains unsigned, the expectation is that he will return to Montreal on a short-term deal. Xhekaj and Jayden Struble are both ahead of Reinbacher and Engstrom on the depth chart. It will be interesting to see how the blue line shakes out in training camp.

Up front, a trio of AHL players in Sasha Pastujov, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj may be ready for NHL action. With Veleno and Gallagher gone, Xhekaj and Beck are looking to step into bottom-six roles or make the roster as extra forwards. As for Pastujov, he is a skilled forward who has dominated the AHL ranks in the last few seasons. He was acquired in exchange for another AHL forward in Sean Farrell. At only 23 years old, Pastujov may be a dark horse to make the Canadiens out of camp after a lack of opportunity in Anaheim.

Ideally, Michael Hage, the team’s top prospect, would be making the jump this year as well, but it appears as though he'll opt to return to college for another year.

Fantasy Outlook – The Montreal Canadiens should be seen as one of the top fantasy teams in the league for 2026-27. Captain Nick Suzuki is coming off a 100-point Selke campaign and may be a top 15 pick in fantasy. Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson should also be some of the first players off the board in their respective positions after recording career seasons. Hutson is one of the best offensive defensemen in the league and is nowhere near his peak, while Caufield has cemented himself as one of the top goal scorers in the game today, following his 50-goal campaign.

            The Habs also have some other elite fantasy players in Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Noah Dobson, and Dobeš. Slafkovský is coming off a career year and playing alongside Caufield and Suzuki; he should be a lock for 70+ points again next season. Demidov managed over 60 points in his rookie year despite minimal support at five-on-five. Don't expect a sophomore slump from the talented Russian as he's featured on one of the league’s top power play units.

As for Dobson, he fared well during his first season in Montreal, despite dealing with injury issues at times. He doesn't see quality time with the man advantage due to the presence of Hutson, but he still produces at an elite level at five-on-five. Finally, Jakub Dobes burst onto the scene in the back half of 2025-26 and was elite during the Canadiens playoff run. It will be interesting to see if he can replicate that success, because if he can, he should be considered a top-10 fantasy goalie for next season.

            Other relevant fantasy options for Montreal include Mike Matheson, Alex Newhook, Zachary Bolduc, and Kaiden Guhle. The Habs have plenty of talent for fantasy managers to choose from, and looking ahead, their young core should all be locks as fantasy keepers. After their elite players all recorded career years, they are getting a boosted fantasy grade for 2026-27.

Fantasy Grade: A (Last year was a B+)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.