Montreal Canadiens fantasy rankings, projections for 2025-26

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff ranks the top five Montreal Canadiens players for standard leagues and provides skater points and goalie wins projections for the 2025-26 season.

1. Nick Suzuki, F

NHL.com point projection: 90

Suzuki had career highs in points (89; tied for 13th in NHL), assists (59; tied for 13th), game-winning goals (nine; tied for first) and overtime goals (five; tied for second) last season. The 26-year-old has seen an increase in points in each of his past four seasons and scored 30 goals for the second straight season (33 in 2023-24). Suzuki was tied for fifth in the NHL with 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists) in 45 games from Jan. 1 until the end of the season and ranked fourth in points after the 4 Nations Face-Off (37 points in 26 games). Suzuki hasn’t missed a game over the past four seasons and has played 455 consecutive games (third-longest active streak in NHL). Suzuki is a fringe top-20 forward and top-10 center in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings.

2. Cole Caufield, F

NHL.com point projection: 72

Caufield scored 23 goals in his first season in the NHL in 2021-22, 26 in 2022-23, 28 in 2023-24 and had a career-high 37 (tied for 13th in NHL) last season. Caufield also set career highs in points (70), power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (eight) in 82 games last season. He ranked second in both road goals (24) and goals from the left net side region (six) and was tied for second in 5-on-5 goals (26). The 24-year-old ranks ninth in shots on goal (554) since 2023-24 and could become the first player to score 40 goals for the Canadiens since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94.

3. Lane Hutson, D

NHL.com point projection: 70

Hutson became Montreal's second Calder Trophy winner in the expansion era (1967-68) and was the fourth defenseman in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to lead rookies in scoring (66 points in 82 games). His 60 assists last season tied Larry Murphy (1980-81 with Los Angeles Kings) for the most by a rookie defenseman in NHL history, and his 66 points were tied for the fourth-most by a rookie at the position. Hutson was tied for sixth among defensemen in points, tied for fifth in power-play points (26) and tied for second at his position in assists last season. From Dec. 1 until the end of the season, Hutson ranked third among defensemen in points (53 in 59 games) and assists (47) and led all defensemen in power-play points (22). Hutson is a top-10 defenseman in NHL.com’s rankings and has top-five upside at his position.

4. Noah Dobson, D

NHL.com point projection: 51

Dobson, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Islanders on June 27 and signed an eight-year contract with the Canadiens, had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 71 games last season. Dobson had an NHL career-high 70 points, 60 assists and 24 power-play points in 2023-24 and has had at least 10 goals in four straight seasons. Among defensemen over the past four seasons, Dobson ranks 10th in points (209 in 308 games), is tied for 10th in power-play points (77), and ranks eighth in shots on goal (766). He could see a decline in power-play ice time if he’s not on Montreal’s first unit, but his category coverage and offensive upside make him a fringe top-20 defensemen in NHL.com’s rankings.

5. Juraj Slafkovsky, F

NHL.com point projection: 63

Slafkovsky set NHL career highs in points (51), assists (33) and hits (194; led Canadiens) in 79 games last season. He finished the season strong with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 27 games and ranked second on the Canadiens in even-strength points (19) over that span. Slafkovsky’s 346 hits over the past two seasons ranks ninth among players with at least 35 goals. The 21-year-old brings exposure to Suzuki and Caufield and has breakout potential in his fourth season in the NHL.

---

Other MTL players on preseason fantasy draft lists:

Breakout candidate: Zack Bolduc, F (point projection: 45)

Bounce-back candidate: Patrik Laine, F (point projection: 48)

Rookies to watch: Ivan Demidov, F (point projection: 61); Jacob Fowler, G

Draft bargain: Sam Montembeault, G (win projection: 32)

Deep sleeper: Kirby Dach, F (point projection: 42)

Hits and blocks specialist: Kaiden Guhle, D

MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:

Top 200 rankings | Draft cheat sheet