Photo credit: Screenshot
Back in Brossard on Monday, the Canadiens delivered a major lineup show.
First “normal” practice after the trip out West, and Martin St-Louis wasted no time redrawing his roster. On the first line, we again find Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Zachary Bolduc, a combination that already did damage recently during the big win in Vegas.Bolduc, 22, is living his first full season in Montreal and will be a restricted free agent in summer 2026, so every repetition with the two stars counts. Suzuki, 26, has already passed the 20-point mark this season and keeps producing despite an autumn full of small injuries. Caufield, 24, is also above the 20-point mark after a November filled with big goals.
Martin St-Louis is shuffling his forward cards again
Behind them, Juraj Slafkovsky is now flanked by Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. Slafkovsky is coming back from a trip where he was one of the best forward’s and once again found a way to get on the scoresheet, while Demidov has just scored in Colorado.
For two young players like Kapanen and Demidov, getting their reps alongside a former first overall pick is no small thing.
The third line is completely rewritten with Alexandre Texier, who arrives on the right side of Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. Evans is coming off a game in Vegas where he scored an important goal, while Anderson remains a reliable presence to bring energy at five-on-five.
For Texier, who has just officially joined the group, this is a golden opportunity to carve out a spot quickly.
“CC – Suzuki – Bolduc
Slaf – Kapanen – Demidov
Texier – Evans – Anderson
F. Xhekaj – Veleno – Gallagher
On defense, there’s a lot of alternating. Arber, Matheson, and Dobson (in red) are rotating together. Same thing for Hutson, Carrier, and Engström (in white).”
– Marc-Olivier Cook
“Defensemen Alexandre Carrier, Noah Dobson, Adam Engstrom, Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, and Arber Xhekaj took turns with each other during drills. Jakub Dobes and Samuel Montembeault were also present for the entire session.
The Canadiens will play the first game of a back-to-back on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre.”
– Montreal Canadiens
On the fourth line, Florian Xhekaj reunites with Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. Xhekaj, 21, already has a point in two NHL games this season, plus four points in 16 games in the American League, and he brings a physical presence the club loves.
With a veteran like Gallagher beside him, the young player does not have to look far for a work model. On defense, Mike Matheson is once again forming an important pairing with Noah Dobson, just days after signing a five-year, 30-million-dollar extension.
Add to that Lane Hutson, who just scored in Colorado, and everything suggests the Canadiens want to hit December with a lineup that increasingly looks like a playoff group.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey
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Canadiens unveil fresh line combinations in Brossard ahead of Senators matchup
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