The Montreal Canadiens were in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021, but after that, the team have managed a complete teardown and rebuild, and following their Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2026, the belief is that this team can take a major leap moving forward.
They’ve managed to build this core with just one top-five draft pick as well, and now, they are shaping up as a genuine Stanley Cup contender for the years ahead. Now, the team have the task of going from a team full of potential to one that can win games in the post-season consistently, but ahead of the new season, their young group has been honored with a major title from a top NHL outlet.
Canadiens Named ‘Best Core Under 25’ in the NHL
GettyIvan Demidov and the Montreal Canadiens.
While the Canadiens have been competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the past two seasons, they’ve still managed to add some great young talent, and now, Sportsnet have named them as the team with the best under 25 core in the National Hockey League.
On paper, it’s hard to argue with Sportsnet’s assessment on this one, as the Canadiens Under 25 core includes: Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes, with potential stars at every single position on the ice. On top of that, the Canadiens are led by captain Nick Suzuki (26-years-old), who will be around this team as a leader long-term, and if they can add another experienced star in the next eight months, this is a team that could make a genuine run in 2026/27.
Thankfully for Montreal, the core group doesn’t stop there, with David Reinbacher, Michael Hage, Alexander Zharovsky and Bryce Pickford among others in the pipeline, and whether or not they’ll be given a chance in the NHL or dealt for immediate help, this is a team with immense riches.
Can the Canadiens win a Stanley Cup With This Core?
To have all of these young stars is certainly a positive, and in 2025/26, these were the players that helped lead this team to two series victories before eventually falling to the Stanley Cup Champions, but to take that final step, this a group that needs help.
They’ve long been reportedly in on several players that could fill a role as their 2C, and with so many assets to use for a potential upgrade ahead of the 2027 trade deadline, don’t be shocked to see General Manager Kent Hughes getting aggressive as this young core look to take that final leap.
Ultimately, this is a squad that needs depth down the middle if they are to truly be Stanley Cup contenders, but if they can find an upgrade for the right price, given the age of all of their most important players, they’ll be a team that can contend for years to come, especially given the contracts that the majority of these players are on.
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