Canadiens Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Split-Squad Sweep, Preseason Experiments and More – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

Training camp is officially underway, and while preseason results rarely tell the whole story, the early days have provided plenty of substance for the Montreal Canadiens. Fresh off a sweep of their split-squad opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Martin St. Louis and the front office are already navigating roster battles, line shifts, and their first notable injury setback.

Here are some of the dominant storylines as we move through the preseason and the Canadiens’ upcoming schedule for the week of Sept. 20-26, 2026.

Navigating the Kaiden Guhle Injury

The biggest news out of the medical room involves defenseman Kaiden Guhle. The club confirmed Guhle is sidelined for four to five weeks after undergoing a minor procedure on his adductor muscle late this summer.

Losing a core top-four defender right as camp opens is a blow, but he is on track to return early in the regular season. In the meantime, his absence creates an immediate opportunity. David Reinbacher was given an elevated look early, while Lane Hutson picked up right where he left off, driving play during Saturday’s split-squad action against the Maple Leafs.

With depth temporarily stretched, Arber Xhekaj continues to give the staff flexibility—including peripheral discussions about taking reps at forward if the blueline remains crowded once Guhle returns.

New Roles for Key Veterans

Up front, St. Louis is experimenting with his top six. Veteran forward Chris Kreider took reps on the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield against the Maple Leafs to open the preseason in Montreal, finishing with a shot and two hits in 17:05 of ice time.

That top line shift moved Juraj Slafkovský to a second-line role alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. Slafkovský’s development into an effective play-driver gives Montreal the luxury of spreading out its scoring threat. Meanwhile, watching how Demidov follows up his standout rookie season remains a primary storyline.

Further down the lineup, players like Florian Xhekaj are making aggressive pushes for open bottom-six spots, bringing noticeable physicality to the split-squad contests.

Early Statements in Net

Between the pipes, Samuel Montembeault turned in a clean, sharp performance in his half-game of action against Toronto, stopping every shot he faced.

Habs Upcoming Schedule

Following split-squad preseason action against Toronto on Sept. 19, the Canadiens’ slate for the coming week features three exhibition games, all against the Ottawa Senators:

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