Locked On Canadiens: Momentum: Why The Montreal Canadiens 2026 27 Campaign Promises Excitement + Need For Patience
Summary
Montreal Canadiens fans are buzzing with excitement as the 2026-27 NHL season kicks off this month. Can Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, and Juraj Slafkovsky take the next step from emerging stars to franchise cornerstones? Ian Boisvert and Laura Saba break down the infectious optimism surrounding the Canadiens roster development and the significance of this pivotal season of becoming. Key topics include potential expansion draft protection strategies, the latest on Ivan Demidovs trajectory, and NHL player tier rankings that see Suzuki and Hutson among the leagues elite. The hosts debate future lineup locks, prospect expectations, and the realities of building a contender in Montreal. Plus, how might impending league expansion, division realignment, and playoff format changes shape the Canadiens path to success? Check out Ian's latest blog here: https://gros-match-ce-soir.bearblog.dev/one-final-year-of-becoming-the-2026-27-montreal-canadiens/ 00:00 Waiting for the Canadiens' return 04:43 Discussing the season's expectations 07:37 Hopes and worries for Canadiens' season 09:41 Offseason hockey discussions 15:08 Matheson's contract and expansion draft 18:00 Discussing protection slots for players 20:12 Challenges of Expansion Drafts 23:24 Explaining NHL player tiers 28:48 Discussing MVP voting biases 32:25 Zach Werenski's impact on Blue Jackets 35:49 Talking about Dahlin's play style 36:34 Mailbag questions and social media Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig - Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited, and this season, FanDuel is giving fans even more ways to get in on every matchup. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.