Montreal Canadiens news and notes
- Five players who should improve on their 2025-26 performance. [Journal de Montreal]
- Lane Hutson is projected to take over as the league’s top defenceman within the next five years. [NHL.com]
- Hutson and Ivan Demidov have arguably the two best-value contracts in the NHL. [Sportsnet]
- Signing so many players to maximum-length contracts is something the Canadiens have in common with the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. [RDS]
- Will the star players come to regret leaving so much money on the table with a rising cap? [The Athletic]
Around the league and elsewhere
- Anze Kopitar’s number will be retired by the Los Angeles Kings on February 24 ahead of their game versus Montreal. [NHL.com]
- The Columbus Blue Jackets’ season ended on an emotional rant from head coach Rick Bowness about the urgent need for a culture change. How will the team respond in 2026-27? [NHL.com]
- Columbus’s top prospects. [NHL.com]
- The Hockey Hall of Fame will feature a watch co-designed by Börje Salming to honour his legacy. [NHL.com]
- Taylor Hall spent his day with the Stanley Cup on Lake Muskoka. [NHL.com]
