The 2026-27 Montreal Canadiens will make the playoffs.
At least, some of us are counting on them to get there.
Are the Habs a legitimate Stanley Cup contender?
The Canadiens are a top 10 choice to win the Stanley Cup at +2200 at FanDuel this morning.
My model projects 100+ points and a playoff spot.
That’s a big change from a year ago at this time when Montreal was an afterthought to win it all at +5000.
The Habs went 48-24-10, finished third in the Atlantic with 106 points, then eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Ultimately, the Canadiens lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the Eastern Conference Final.
Fast-forward five months later, the Habs are set to host the Hurricanes in their home opener at the Bell Centre.
The NHL season is a marathon, and a lot can change between now and April, but tonight’s clash will be viewed as a true measuring stick game for Montreal.
After falling three wins shy of the Stanley Cup Final, are the Canadiens primed for another deep run in 2027?
Let’s set the stage for tonight and lock in a FanDuel Best Bet for the Habs home opener in this Morning Coffee column for Tuesday October 6th, 2026.
How Close Are Habs To Being A Legitimate Stanley Cup Contender?
There are several intriguing parallels between this year’s Canadiens and last year’s Hurricanes.
Head coaches Martin St. Louis and Rod Brind’Amour are former players that are recognized for their ability to connect with their players and maximize their potential.
Nick Suzuki and Sebastian Aho are solid two-way centres that can score, make plays, defend, and win faceoffs.
Both teams have leaned heavily on their top lines to do the heavy lifting at the offensive end in recent years.
The trio of Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov combined for 100 goals last season.
Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky combined for 110 goals last season, with Caufield leading the way (51).
It’s easy to forget now, but a year ago at this time the biggest question marks in Carolina were the No. 2 centre, goaltending, and scoring depth beyond the top line.
Ask any Habs fan and they will tell you the biggest question marks in Montreal this season are the No. 2 centre spot, goaltending, and scoring depth.
Last season, the Hurricanes added Nikolaj Ehlers and plugged Logan Stankoven in as their No. 2 centre.
Ehlers, Jordan Staal, and Jordan Martinook clicked on an overhauled third line that excelled in the postseason.
Stankoven led Carolina with 11 postseason goals as the anchor of a revamped second line with Jackson Blake and veteran Taylor Hall.
The Canadiens have opened with Alex Newhook as their No. 2 centre in place of the injured Oliver Kapanen.
Martin St. Louis also bumped Slafkovsky to the second line with Newhook and Ivan Demidov to begin the year, with veteran addition Chris Kreider joining Suzuki and Caufield on the top line to spread out their scoring.
Assuming Kapanen is plugged into the No. 2 centre role when he returns from injury, Newhook could return to a bottom six that features Josh Anderson, Zack Bolduc, Philip Danault, and Alexandre Texier.
Then there’s the goaltending situation in Montreal.
Jakub Dobes is the No. 1 ahead of Samuel Montembault, with 21-year-old rookie Jacob Fowler starting in the AHL.
When Frederik Andersen stumbled in the Stanley Cup Final, rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi stepped in to shut the door on Vegas the rest of the way.
Habs fans are hoping that Dobes can build off a strong postseason and thrive as a starter this season, but his 42 starts last season were a career high and I wouldn’t be surprised if Fowler was back on the Canadiens roster at some point between now and April.
While there are several intriguing parallels between this year’s Habs and last year’s Hurricanes, there are also some key differences that set them apart.
Carolina is a possession team that dominates shot attempts and expected goals on a nightly basis.
Brind’Amour has spent years tinkering with a system that features specific roles and expectations for every player.
The Hurricanes peaked during their Stanley Cup run.
The Canadiens are still a work in progress under St. Louis.
The Habs have plenty of offensive firepower up front, but their structure and two-way play will need to be better when it matters the most in the postseason.
The good news is Montreal has a full 84-game regular season to develop into a legitimate Stanley Cup team.
Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov, and Hutson make up one of the most talented young cores in the NHL.
Meanwhile, 2024 first round pick Michael Hage is off to a hot start in his final season at Michigan and could make the jump to the NHL when the NCAA season is complete.
Some thought 2023 first round pick David Reinbacher would start the season in Montreal before he was sent back to the AHL.
Reinbacher’s demotion was a numbers game for a Habs team that has Hutson, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhejaj on their roster, with 2020 first round pick Kayden Guhle getting closer to a return to the lineup.
GM Kent Hughes has a deep roster, draft picks, prospects, and the salary cap space to make one or two big moves when the timing is right.
A year ago, at this time, most hockey fans disregarded the Habs as a fringe playoff contender.
They proved a lot of people wrong with an impressive run to the Eastern Conference Final.
With a healthy roster, a little luck, and maybe an addition or two in-season, the Habs could surprise in the East.
Montreal is already a top 10 choice to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel.
I want to see where the Canadiens land in April.
As for tonight’s game, Carolina is a -120 favourite.
Montreal is even-money to win its home opener.
I’m going to roll the dice on Caufield anytime goal +140.
Last season, Caufield scored three goals in three regular season games against the Hurricanes.
While the entire roster struggled against Carolina in the Eastern Conference Final, the media focus remained locked on a top line that was so good during the regular season but lacked consistency in the playoffs.
I’m banking on Caufield and company being motivated to deliver a statement performance in their home opener.
Caufield scored 25 goals in 41 games at the Bell Centre last season.
Hopefully, he can start the season 1-for-1 in tonight’s home opener against the Stanley Cup champions.
Have a great day, everyone!
