As the calendar flips toward the holidays, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves in a familiar spot. The progress is real, the young core is exciting, but the season has also been defined by adversity, inconsistency, and a growing injury list.
Christmas wishes won’t magically fix everything, but if the Canadiens could unwrap three things over the next few weeks, it could go a long way in shaping the second half of the season. From health to stability in net, to continued development from the next wave of talent, here are the Canadiens’ three biggest Christmas wishes.
Health, Health and More Health
If there’s one wish that stands above all others, it’s a healthy lineup. The Canadiens’ injury list has been relentless this season. Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine, Kaiden Guhle, and now Jake Evans have all missed significant time, forcing Martin St. Louis to constantly juggle lines and defensive pairings. For a young team still learning how to win consistently, that kind of instability is brutal.
Dach and Newhook were supposed to be key pieces down the middle, providing speed, secondary scoring, and matchup flexibility. Guhle remains one of the team’s most reliable all-around defencemen, while Evans plays a quietly important role as a defensive centre who can handle tough minutes and the penalty kill.
Without those players, depth gets exposed quickly. Younger players are asked to do more than they should, and roles become misaligned. It’s not an excuse, but it is reality. A healthier roster wouldn’t just improve the Canadiens’ results; it would bring clarity. Defined roles, better chemistry, and a more accurate evaluation of where this group truly stands. For a team focused on development, that clarity matters just as much as wins.
A Confident Samuel Montembeault
The second wish is closely tied to the first: a confident, reliable Samuel Montembeault.
Last season, Montembeault was a massive part of Montreal’s push. He wasn’t just serviceable; he was steady, competitive, and gave the team a chance most nights. This season, that version of Montembeault has been harder to find. His confidence has clearly taken a hit, and the results have followed.
Goalie is a fragile position. Once confidence slips, everything slows down: reactions, reads, movement. Montembeault’s struggles have forced the Canadiens to explore other options, leading to more opportunities for Jakub Dobes and even a first NHL look for Jacob Fowler.
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While it’s encouraging to see young goalies get chances, the ideal scenario for Montreal remains clear: Montembeault finding his game again. A confident Monty stabilizes the entire team. Defensive mistakes don’t instantly turn into goals, and players can take calculated risks knowing there’s support behind them.
It would also allow the organization to be patient with Fowler, who has been outstanding both with the Laval Rocket and the Canadiens. Keeping him in Laval to dominate, build confidence, and refine his game is far better than rushing him into a difficult NHL situation.
Growth From the Kids
The final wish is the most important one long-term: continued growth from the kids. The Canadiens’ season isn’t defined by standings alone; it’s defined by development. Players like Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, Dobes, Fowler, and Adam Engström have all shown encouraging flashes early on. The challenge now is seeing what happens after Christmas.
This is often the hardest part of the season for young players. Opponents adjust, the schedule tightens, and the grind becomes real. Progress isn’t always linear, but growth shows up in details, better decision-making, improved positioning, and more consistency shift-to-shift.
None of these players need to be stars overnight. The goal is progression, not perfection. If the Canadiens exit the season knowing their young players took meaningful steps forward, that’s a win, regardless of where they finish in the standings.
The Canadiens don’t need miracles this Christmas. They need health, stability, and development. A healthier lineup would bring structure. A confident Montembeault would bring calm. And continued growth from the kids would bring hope, the kind that lasts beyond a single season.
If Montreal gets even two of these three wishes, the second half of the season could look very different. And if they get all three? That’s the kind of Christmas gift that could shape the future of this rebuild.
