There’s no doubt the Montreal Canadiens upgraded their roster by trading for Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc, but there are still questions left to be answered when it comes to the actual details of the projected lineup.

We’ll start by discussing the forward situation with Bolduc in the fold.

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines

The first line is the only easy combination to predict, with Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky serving as the teams top trio. On that note, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ivan Demidov gets a shot on the top line at some point in the season, especially since he has the ability to execute plays at full speed, and that may match Caufield and Suzuki’s modus operandi a little better.

The second line is where things become a little more complicated.

The good news is that Kirby Dach was skating in Brossard on Wednesday. He still needs more runway to recover from his latest season-ending injury, and it’s questionable whether he could fill that second-line centre role even if he does recover his 2022-23 form. As of now, I would consider Dach a winger upon his return to play, and it has nothing to do with denigrating his value. It’s simply much easier to play as a winger in the NHL, as it allows players to focus on generating offence rather than putting all their energy into defensive responsibilities. But the Habs may have no choice but to return him to the centre position.

Canadiens’ Kirby Dach – recovering from knee surgery – on the ice now in Brossard #Habs pic.twitter.com/OT4dcPmcck

— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) July 2, 2025

That brings us to Bolduc, a player who has not featured as a centre in the NHL, at least not yet. He did play down the middle of the ice in the QMJHL, but even while he was enjoying success in that role it was questionable whether he’d be able to handle centre duties in a professional setting.

The same can  be said about Ivan Demidov. Yes, he knows how to play centre, and he did mention that it’s easier to keep an eye on everything while playing that position, but let’s be honest, he’s built to be a winger, and that’s where he has gained the most professional experience.

However, considering the only other decent option for a second-line centre is Alex Newhook, a player who is also best suited for work on the wing, it’s starting to become apparent the Canadiens will either need to find a legitimate No.2 centre, or roll with a less-than-ideal combination on the second line, by using either Bolduc, Dach, or Newhook down the middle of the ice. Bolduc has fantastic defensive metrics, which means he has the ability to mitigate some of the defensive concerns should Dach or Newhook be tasked with playing centre on the second line.

There’s also the possibility Bolduc could be used as a third-line centre, but I’d argue he needs to be used in the top-six to maximize his value and ensure more growth from an offensive standpoint.

Finally, the fourth line may end up being very interesting. In my projection, Patrik Laine lands on the fourth line, while the other winger will have to be determined by how the young players perform at training camp. Having a rich contract on the fourth line is far from perfect, but it would allow Laine to remain fresh in anticipation of powerplay opportunities.

Things can (and will) change, and there are multiple options to fill out the fourth line, but for now here’s how the forward lines may end up looking next season:

Projected Canadiens Lineup

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky

Bolduc/Dach – Dach/Bolduc – Ivan Demidov

Brendan Gallagher – Alex Newhook – Josh Anderson

Xhekaj/Blais/Beck/Kapanen – Jake Evans – Patrik Laine

Do you agree or disagree with the Montreal Canadiens lineup posted above? If so, let us know in the comments below!