Montreal hockey fans were caught off guard when the Canadiens dropped a cryptic social media post, sparking a whirlwind of speculation across the city.

The message—“Guess who’s here!”—was accompanied by a photo that, upon closer inspection, revealed a subtle but unmistakable clue: a jersey number that confirmed the arrival of a major new star.

In a move that has already sent shockwaves through the NHL, defenseman Noah Dobson is officially in Montreal, and the team wasted no time confirming the news.

But what does this early arrival really mean for the Canadiens, and why is it causing such a stir among insiders and fans alike?

There’s more to Dobson’s story than meets the eye, and his presence in town—well ahead of the season’s start—signals something extraordinary brewing behind the scenes.

With the memory of a blockbuster trade still fresh and the stakes higher than ever, Dobson’s decision to join his new team early could be the start of a new era in Montreal hockey.

Why did the Canadiens prioritize acquiring Dobson, and what does his early move say about the team’s ambitions?

The answers are more surprising than you might think. Read on to uncover the full story behind this headline-making arrival.

Photo credit: X/Canadiens

In the last few moments, the Montreal Canadiens organization announced that defenseman Noah Dobson has officially arrived in town.

It started with a somewhat mysterious post..

“Guess who’s here!”

– Montreal Canadiens

Looking closely at the photo above (his jersey number), you can see a detail confirming it really is Dobson, but in any case, the Montreal Canadiens quickly confirmed it.

It’s official!

Noah Dobson has arrived in town!

This is great news, seeing that Dobson is already here!

It may seem like a small detail, but it’s extremely rare to see so many players arriving early (in their NHL season city), as Alexandre Carrier recently pointed out.

It’s something very special and quite different that we’re noticing this year in Montreal.

It shows just how much the players enjoy being here, and it also reflects their level of motivation heading into the upcoming season!

Things are looking promising.

Clearly, Noah Dobson is on board with the movement, and here he is already in town with his wife.

Of course, let’s recall that Dobson was acquired by the Montreal Canadiens this past June, on the day of the 2025 Draft, from the New York Islanders.

In return, Kent Hughes and the Habs gave up (to the Islanders) forward Emil Heineman as well as two first-round picks in 2025-the 16th and 17th overall selections of that draft.

More details to come.