The start of the 2025-26 NHL regular season is just around the corner, and the anticipation continues to build around the hockey world.
In 11 days, the banner will be raised and the puck will be dropped in Florida to kick it all off, and in 12 days, the Montreal Canadiens begin their season in Toronto for a matchup with the bitter rival Maple Leafs.
Expectations are high in Montreal as the rebuild is a thing of the past. The question now is how much of a jump this young core takes after making a return to the playoffs last year?
Given all of that, it’s the perfect time to dive into some predictions for the Canadiens heading into 2025-26, so let’s get bold!
Habs finish top 3 in the Atlantic
The Canadiens snuck into the playoffs as a wildcard and five seed in the Atlantic Division last season, but this year their spot in the dance will be much more solidified.
Florida, Tampa Bay, and Toronto will be tough to knock out of the top three, but at some point, there’s a changing of the guard, and Montreal is the team to push its way through.
The Panthers and Lightning are veteran teams that have played a lot of hockey over the years, while the Maple Leafs lost their borderline best player in Mitch Marner. On the flip side, Montreal made big offseason moves and is oozing with potential.
It’s all lining up for a top-three finish in the Atlantic Division for the Habs.
Demidov runs away with the Calder
This one might not even be that bold. Ivan Demidov is special. The 19-year-old is unbelievably talented and possesses a dynamic skill set unlike many others.
His assist to set up Patrik Laine in Thursday night’s preseason game was just a sign of what’s to come.
Ivan Demidov finds Patrik Laine on the power play! 🚨
We think we might be saying this again during the regular season… pic.twitter.com/nyLis9s55C
— NHL (@NHL) September 26, 2025
Demidov makes that play look way easier than it should, no-look threading the needle cross ice tape to tape. Doesn’t get any better than that.
Combine his abilities with the star power he’ll play with in Montreal, and it’s hard to envision anything less than 60 points from Ivan Demidov in his first full NHL season, which should have him cruise his way to a Calder Trophy victory.
Kent Hughes makes a big deadline splash
If you like an active general manager, then you must love Kent Hughes. The Habs GM is never shy to make a big move, and we saw it this offseason, acquiring Noah Dobson and Zack Bolduc.
There’s been a lot of speculation about Sidney Crosby coming to Montreal, though that still feels like a pipe dream and something you can’t rely on happening.
Despite that, the Canadiens will continue their search for a second-line center, and there will certainly be other good options out there. Expect Hughes and company to be squarely in the mix for whoever becomes available.
