3 Canadiens Players Who Could Be Wild Cards in 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens already know who they will rely on to lead the way in 2026-27. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov are among the players expected to drive the team’s success. If the Canadiens are going to take another step toward becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, their stars will obviously have to deliver.

However, the difference between a good team and a great one can sometimes come from unexpected contributors. Montreal has several players entering the season without enormous expectations who could completely change the outlook of the roster if things go right. Here are three wild cards who could help push the Canadiens to another level in 2026-27.

Oliver Kapanen

It feels like the Canadiens’ playoff run cooled a lot of the excitement surrounding Oliver Kapanen. That’s understandable considering he struggled to make the same impact in the postseason, but it shouldn’t erase everything he accomplished before that.

Kapanen scored 22 goals during his rookie season, an impressive total for a young player. He also represented Finland at the Olympics, gaining valuable experience on one of hockey’s biggest stages. The 23-year-old has already demonstrated that he can be a responsible NHL forward. He can play in different situations, understands the defensive side of the game and doesn’t necessarily need the puck on his stick to make an impact.

Now it’s about continuing to develop offensively. Young players rarely progress in a perfectly straight line, and Kapanen’s playoff struggles shouldn’t change the organization’s outlook on him. He has already shown enough to suggest that there is more offense available as he becomes increasingly comfortable at the NHL level.

Alex Newhook

Unlike Kapanen, Alex Newhook saw his stock rise significantly during the playoffs. Newhook delivered when Montreal needed him most, including scoring two Game 7 goals during the Canadiens’ run. He proved he could produce in big moments and should enter 2026-27 with plenty of confidence.

There are already expectations for Newhook to play significant minutes, potentially in the top six. However, the wild-card element is just how much offense he could provide. Playing alongside Ivan Demidov could be exactly what unlocks another level.

Demidov’s creativity and ability to generate opportunities should give Newhook chances to use one of his biggest strengths, his speed. If the two develop chemistry, Newhook could become much more than simply a complementary top-six option. Montreal doesn’t necessarily need him to become a star. A legitimate offensive breakout in which Newhook establishes himself as a consistent scoring threat would already make the Canadiens significantly deeper. The stars will get most of the attention, but another 20-plus goal scorer capable of producing throughout the lineup could make Montreal considerably more difficult to defend.

Kirby Dach

We’ve been asking the same question about Kirby Dach for years. What if he can finally stay healthy? At some point, Dach has to prove that he can do it rather than simply making everyone wonder what could happen if he does. Still, it’s difficult to completely give up on the potential that made Montreal willing to pay a significant price to acquire him in 2022.

Dach has the size, skill and playmaking ability to be an impact forward. The problem has been putting everything together while staying on the ice long enough to build momentum. That’s what makes him arguably Montreal’s biggest wild card entering the season. Expectations aren’t nearly as high as they once were. Montreal no longer needs Dach to develop into the clear-cut second-line centre of the future. That might actually benefit him.

If Dach can simply stay healthy, find some consistency and rediscover some of the confidence he showed earlier in his Canadiens tenure, Montreal could suddenly have another big, talented forward capable of moving throughout the lineup.

Montreal doesn’t need Kapanen, Newhook and Dach to all have career seasons to take another step. But imagine if two of them do. Kapanen developing into a reliable 20-goal two-way forward, Newhook breaking out next to Demidov or Dach finally staying healthy and putting his talent together would give the Canadiens another layer of depth beyond their established core. Every contender needs players who outperform expectations. For Montreal, these three might be the ones capable of doing exactly that in 2026-27.