The Montreal Canadiens took the next step in their rebuild this season. The young Canadiens roster qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2021. Despite a first-round loss to the Washington Capitals, it was a successful season in Montreal. Now, GM Kent Hughes will have his hands full making the necessary moves to make the roster more competitive and make the playoffs in a second straight year. This means shedding some players who no longer fit into the Canadiens future plans. The first domino has already fallen as veteran defender David Savard announced his retirement. However, there are several more Canadiens who are unlikely to return next season. Let’s take a look at which Montreal Canadiens players have likely suited up for their last game in Montreal.
Montreal Canadiens Players Who Won’t Be On 2025-26 Roster
Joel Armia
The first name on this list is one of the Canadiens longest-serving veterans, Joel Armia. Armia joined Montreal back in 2018-19 after being acquired in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets. However, his tenure with the bleu-blanc-rouge has been highlighted by injuries and inconsistencies. He has only hit the 30-point mark once in his career. The 31-year-old has always had the frame and the skill to be an effective offensive threat. However, the consistency has never been a reflection of that. As a result, he has been primarily used in a bottom-six role in Montreal.
Armia has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Canadiens. However, with the young talent emerging on the roster, it’s hard to justify bringing him back next season. Armia made 3.4 million last season and would likely command a contract in this range again this summer. The Canadiens have better ways to spend their cap this offseason. Still, if Armia doesn’t return, he will be missed on the Canadiens penalty kill.
Christian Dvorak
Dvorak has never found the offense in the NHL, which drove former GM Marc Bergevin to give up a first-round pick for him. Despite his strong play down the stretch and in the playoffs, Dvorak has largely been invisible during his time in Montreal. He is proficient in the faceoff dot and on the penalty kill, but his talents don’t stretch far beyond that. He isn’t an offensive play driver and doesn’t have much impact on the game regularly.
The re-signing of Jake Evans likely sealed the fate of Christian Dvorak. The Canadiens are set to search for a second-line center in the offseason. This will likely slide Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook into a third-line center role. With players like Owen Beck and Oliver Kapanen also pushing for regular roster spots, there isn’t room for Dvorak on the roster moving forward. His odds of being resigned by the Canadiens are slim to none.
Michael Pezzetta
Michael Pezzetta is another player set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. He seemed to fall out of favor with head coach Martin St. Louis this year as he was healthy scratched for a stretch of over 20 games. Pezzetta is a player capable of bringing a physical spark to a roster but not much else. He doesn’t have a place on the team moving forward besides being an extra forward in case of injuries. A team with a thin lineup up front may look to add him for some offensive depth and a physical presence. However, that team won’t be Montreal. The Canadiens have a prospect in Florian Xhekaj, brother of Arber Xhekaj, who looks like he will fill Pezzetta’s shoes shortly. The young forward has some offensive spark as well as he scored 24 goals in the AHL this season.
Other Names on the Chopping Block
The Canadiens also have some other interesting names who are likely to be on the roster but could be moved on from. The first is Mike Matheson, who has become the opposite of a fan favorite in Montreal despite his Quebec heritage. Matheson would have some value on the open market, but it’s unlikely the Canadiens move on from him unless they find a replacement to eat his minutes. He has only one year remaining on his contract, so he likely will play out the remainder of it in Montreal.
Another interesting name is Josh Anderson. Anderson had an exceptional playoffs for Montreal, which may have raised his trade value to the level it was two seasons ago. If there was ever a time for Montreal to move on from his massive contract, it would be now. However, it’s unclear if they are willing to do that, as Hughes has stated his value to the team in the past.
The final name on the list is Jayden Struble. Struble is an RFA this offseason, and while Montreal will likely qualify him, that doesn’t mean he will be a Canadien next season. Montreal has moved on from several young defenseman in the past, including Jonathan Kovacevic, Jordan Harris, and Justin Barron. With David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux emerging, it’s unclear where Struble fits into the future. He was a healthy scratch oftentimes this year. If Montreal adds some defensemen to its roster, he may become expendable and fall victim to the numbers game, much like his former teammates.
Main Photo: Geoff Burke- Imagn Images
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