Montreal Canadiens Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Olympic Medals, Skills Competition, Roster Returns and More – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

Here is a breakdown of the key storylines surrounding the Montreal Canadiens as the Olympic break comes to an end and a look at their upcoming schedule.

Medals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics

The biggest spotlight over the last week has been on Canadiens players representing their countries. Nick Suzuki secured a silver medal with Team Canada after a thrilling, tightly contested 2-1 overtime loss to the United States in the gold medal game on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, Oliver Kapanen helped Finland take home the bronze, and Juraj Slafkovsky made waves throughout the tournament as a dominant offensive force for Slovakia.

The Canadiens Skills Competition

The team is hosting its annual Skills Competition today (Feb. 22) at a sold-out Bell Centre. It features no glass along the sideboards to bring fans closer to the action, special guests from the Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), and a lot of fan interaction.

On Friday, Feb. 20, the Habs braved minus-15-degree temperatures to hold an official outdoor practice at the Bleu Blanc Bouge rink in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. The event celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation.

Injury Updates & Roster Returns

Forward Alex Newhook participated in a standard practice jersey for the first time since fracturing his ankle back in November, marking a massive step in his recovery. Additionally, Alexandre Texier officially rejoined the team this weekend following his Olympic run with Team France.

Trade Deadline Chatter

With the trade deadline approaching, rumblings are starting to pick up. Notably, hockey insiders have been heavily linking Calgary Flames veteran center Nazem Kadri to Montreal as a potential target to bolster their depth.

Canadiens Schedule This Week

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