Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories, and content you may have missed on Thursday.
Montreal Canadiens News
The Canadiens have 30 players remaining at camp, however, three of the defencemen are injured, which means there are four players left to be cut before the team can reach the 23-man roster required to submit a legal lineup prior to the start of the season. With that in mind, we predicted which players will be among the final cuts at camp, and which rookies will earn an NHL roster spot rather than being reassigned to the Laval Rocket in the AHL. As it stands, Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, and Oliver Kapanen are still very much in the mix. [Predicting The Canadiens Opening-Night Roster, Final Cuts]
Ivan Demidov was among the first players to jump on the ice on Thursday, connoting that the ugly slash that led to a fine from the DoPS for Nick Cousins did not result in a serious injury.
Ivan Demidov at Habs practice in Québec City today
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 2, 2025
Speaking of Demidov, I don’t necessarily want to re-open the fighting debate, but his chemistry with F. Xhekaj reminds me of a bevy of former NHL stars who quickly built a strong bond with the team’s designated enforcer. Fights will eventually be banned, but there’s a reason the most talented players in NHL history usually have a player with heavy hands riding shotgun throughout their career.
The Florian Xhekaj & Ivan Demidov bromance is blossoming
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 2, 2025
There was a long list of players added to waivers on Thursday. It’s funny, fans always worry that tweeners will get claimed, but if we put tribalism aside, most teams have three or four similar players, and they rarely get claimed, unless they happen to be a right-handed defenceman, because they’re gold in the NHL.
Waivers ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LEWMEZvqNm
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) October 2, 2025
The Habs are now recognized as a team on the rise. I don’t necessarily agree that they’re done with the rebuild, as teams that qualify for the playoffs can still be in rebuild mode, especially in the modern NHL landscape, but there’s no doubt the Canadiens have momentum on their side as one of the youngest lineups in the league.
The Habs are ranked 14th on the NHL Super 16 Power Rankings:
“The word ‘rebuild’ is now a thing from the past in Montreal. They are now ready to push for another playoff appearance.”
👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/pKB6mDvPSe
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 2, 2025
There was a time when players avoided Montreal, but that has changed since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have taken over. Noah Dobson quickly realized he was joining a close group of players who will go out of their way to defend their teammates, always a plus when trying to attract high-end players to a particular city.
Noah Dobson on joining the Habs:
“You don’t really know what to expect but I know I was coming into a great situation, a great organization from top to bottom, a great group of guys…You feel like you’ve been here a while now with how tight-knit the group is.” pic.twitter.com/EbjZ7Vw9cA
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 2, 2025
National Hockey Now Network
The Florida Panthers continued to lock down key players for the foreseeable future, signing defenceman Niko Mikkola to an eight-year contract on Thursday morning. Mikkola could have been a free agent following this season; his new contract kicks in next season. The 29-year-old Mikkola signed for $40 million — or $5 million per season. He signed a three-year contract for $7.5 million in 2023. [Florida Panthers]
The number of players participating in Boston Bruins training camp is shrinking by the day as the organization sent several forwards down to the AHL on Thursday afternoon. [Boston Bruins]
Former Avalanche fan favourite and first-round draft pick Tyson Jost is back in the Central Division. Ever since the Avs traded the No. 10 overall pick from the 2016 draft, he’s moved around quite a bit more than he’s probably wanted to. In the most recent move, Jost was claimed by the Nashville Predators off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. He joins a team that needs help at the center position. [Colorado Avalanche]