The Montreal Canadiens have finally lifted the curtain on their highly anticipated 2025-26 NHL season roster, and the decisions made behind closed doors are already sparking heated conversations across the hockey world.

After weeks of intense training camp battles and endless speculation, Martin St-Louis and his staff have drawn the line between those who will skate under the bright lights of the Bell Centre and those who must wait for another chance.

But as the suspense fades, new questions arise. Which promising young talents have been sent down, and what shocking moves did the Canadiens make to finalize their lineup?

The answers might surprise even the most dedicated fans. Rumors swirled as camp progressed, and now, with the final cuts announced, the fate of several rising stars hangs in the balance.

Did your favorite player make the cut, or has opportunity slipped away for now? The official roster features some familiar faces and a few unexpected choices, leaving fans eager to analyze every decision.

As the Canadiens prepare to launch into a new season, the story of who made it—and who didn’t—is more intriguing than ever. Dive in to discover the full list and the reasoning behind each move.

Florian Xhekaj

Photo credit: All Habs / NHL

After weeks of camp and evaluations, the Montreal Canadiens have wrapped up training camp and confirmed their roster for the 2025-26 NHL season.

The suspense is finally over!

The Montreal Canadiens have now officially made their final cuts and confirmed their opening roster for the 2025-26 season.

Several young players who, in my opinion, had really left a strong impression during training camp were ultimately sent down to Laval.

Here’s what the Habs confirmed:

“The Canadiens have loaned forwards Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj as well as defenseman Adam Engstrom to the Laval Rocket. Forward Samuel Blais and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen will be placed on waivers at 2:00 p.m.”

– Montreal Canadiens

Martin St-Louis Has Made His Decision and the Montreal Canadiens’ Roster Is Now Set

The final roster of the Canadiens will therefore include 23 players, consisting of two goaltenders, seven defensemen, and fourteen forwards.

The following players have been confirmed in the official lineup:

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Bolduc-Dach-Gallagher
Newhook-Kapanen-Demidov
Anderson-Evans-Laine
Veleno

Matheson-Dobson
Guhle-Hutson
Xhekaj-Carrier
Struble

Montembeault-Dobes

Personally, I find the decisions made this morning quite logical.

Of course, we all have our personal favorite players we would have liked to see in the lineup, but that’s completely normal!