The Canadiens played 14 games in October, counting the Sept. 29 opener in Toronto, which is the only game they played in September. They went 9-3-2 for 20 points, fifth in the NHL, second in the Atlantic and third in the East. Last October they played 11 games (Oct. 8 to Oct. 28) and went 8-3-0 for 16 points. The points percentage is almost the same, .714 now against .727 then, so this month was not an upgrade in results. It was a different team getting to the same place.
Last October, the power play carried the Canadiens and the 5v5 game did not. This October it is the other way around: the team controlled play at even strength, the power play collapsed to dead last in the league, and a rookie goalie, Jacob Fowler, won seven straight. That is the story below, with every number compared to the same stretch a year ago.
October at a glance
| October 2026 | October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | 14 | 11 |
| Record (W-L-OTL) | 9-3-2 | 8-3-0 |
| Points (NHL rank) | 20 (5th) | 16 (6th) |
| Points % | .714 (3rd) | .727 (3rd) |
| Goals for per game | 3.43 (11th) | 3.64 (7th) |
| Goals against per game | 3.00 (9th) | 3.00 (15th) |
| Goal differential | +6 (11th) | +7 (6th) |
| Home / Road | 4-2-1 / 5-1-1 | 3-1-0 / 5-2-0 |
| Games past regulation | 3-0-2 | 4-0-0 |
| One-goal games | 6-3 (9 of 14) | 6-2 (8 of 11) |
Game by game
| Date | Opponent | Result | Shots (MTL-OPP) | Goalie | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 29 | @ TOR | W 3-2 | 24-28 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 3 | @ PIT | OTL 5-6 | 25-30 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 6 | CAR | L 4-6 | 20-33 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 8 | NSH | L 2-5 | 33-20 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 10 | DET | W 1-0 (SO) | 30-30 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 13 | BUF | W 4-3 (SO) | 38-16 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 14 | @ WSH | L 4-5 | 29-24 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 17 | BUF | W 4-3 (OT) | 34-26 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 20 | SJS | OTL 3-4 | 34-30 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 23 | @ CHI | W 4-1 | 28-21 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 25 | @ WPG | W 2-1 | 21-34 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 27 | @ STL | W 2-0 | 21-46 | Fowler | Recap |
| Oct. 29 | @ DAL | W 5-2 | 21-19 | Dobeลก | Recap |
| Oct. 31 | PIT | W 5-4 | 27-29 | Fowler | Recap |
Read the shot column and the month tells you a lot. The Canadiens were outshot 46-21 in St. Louis and won 2-0 because Fowler stopped all 46. They were outshot 34-21 in Winnipeg and won 2-1. They also lost games where they had the better of the shots, like the 5-2 loss to Nashville (33-20). Shots on goal ended the month dead even, 385 for and 386 against, which is why the attempt-based numbers below matter more than the shots column.
The month in three chapters
Chapter 1: 3-3-1, giving up too much (Sept. 29 to Oct. 14)
The first seven games produced a 3-3-1 record and a 23-27 goal split. The team allowed six goals twice, to Pittsburgh in overtime and to Carolina at home, and Jakub Dobeลก started four of the seven. Jacob Fowler took over the net on Oct. 8 and shut out Detroit 1-0 in a shootout two games later with 30 saves on 30 shots. The Canadiens still gave up five in Washington with Dobeลก back in goal.
Chapter 2: the Suzuki injury (Oct. 17 to Oct. 20)
The Canadiens beat Buffalo in overtime on Oct. 17, then lost 4-3 in overtime to San Jose. Nick Suzuki hurt his hand blocking a shot in that game. He played nine of the 14 games and was ruled out for two to four weeks, which we covered in Suzuki out two to four weeks and Without Suzuki, who steps up.
Chapter 3: 5-0-0 without their captain (Oct. 23 to Oct. 31)
The Canadiens won all five games after Suzuki went down, 18 goals for and 8 against, including a 4-0 road trip through Chicago, Winnipeg, St. Louis and Dallas. At 5v5 they scored 15 goals to 5 over those five games. The play was not as good as the results, though. With Suzuki, over the first nine games, the Canadiens had 56.3% of 5v5 shot attempts. Without him, over the last five, that fell to 48.4%. The wins were real, and so was the goaltending that made them possible, but the underlying play slipped. The 5-4 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 31 was a good example: a fifth straight win in a game that was tight until the end.
Who produced without Suzuki
Nobody tried to replace Suzuki alone. In the five games after he went down, nine skaters finished with at least three points, seven more had two, and four had one.
| Player | G | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Evans | 2 | 5 |
| Cole Caufield | 2 | 4 |
| Phillip Danault | 1 | 4 |
| Lane Hutson | 1 | 4 |
| Josh Anderson | 2 | 3 |
| Kaiden Guhle | 2 | 3 |
| Chris Kreider | 1 | 3 |
| Mike Matheson | 1 | 3 |
| Noah Dobson | 0 | 3 |
The depth is the story. Evans led the team in points, and three defensemen scored: Guhle (2), Matheson (1) and Hutson (1). That is how a team goes 5-0-0 without its captain.
Jake Evans was the best of them. In the five games since Suzuki was injured, Evans led the team with five points and was a plus-11, four better than any other skater. He averaged 17:03 of ice time over that stretch, a second-line workload, and he gave the Canadiens exceptional play at centre.
Martin St-Louis said the credit belongs to the group, and he was clear that the team’s success does not depend on one player:
To me, it’s that; it’s the collective game. I think it’s more powerful than one player or two players. But, honestly, when you add the talent of Suzy, Demidov, Matheson to a collective game, it helps. But it wouldn’t help as much if we didn’t have a collective game. We’d just be relying on individuals to do their things, and it’s not a one-on-one game. It’s a collective game with one-on-one moments, but I don’t know when they are.
Martin St-Louis
Team stats: this October vs last October
| Stat | Oct. 2026 | NHL rank | Oct. 2025 | NHL rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots for per game | 27.5 | 16th | 25.8 | 28th |
| Shots against per game | 27.6 | 16th | 26.6 | 9th |
| Power play | 4-for-42 (9.5%) | 32nd | 9-for-32 (28.1%) | 7th |
| Power plays per game | 3.0 | 23rd | 2.9 | 25th |
| Short-handed goals against | 2 | 0 | ||
| Penalty kill | 81.8% | 13th | 75.0% | 21st |
| Times short-handed per game | 3.93 | 30th | 3.27 | 18th |
| Faceoff % | 51.6% | 11th | 51.2% | 14th |
| Hits per game | 20.8 | 23rd | 19.1 | 28th |
| Blocked shots per game | 13.3 | 24th | 16.4 | 8th |
| Giveaways per game | 15.4 | 13th | 13.3 | 3rd |
| Takeaways per game | 4.2 | 13th | 3.9 | 25th |
| Penalty minutes | 151 | 24th | 106 | 19th |
| Minor penalties taken | 65 | 31st | 43 | 20th |
| Penalties drawn | 56 | 18th | 43 | 21st |
| 5v5 shot attempts % | 53.7% | 6th | 48.0% | 22nd |
| 5v5 unblocked attempts % | 53.5% | 8th | 48.9% | 22nd |
| 5v5 goals % | 56.9% | 5th | 55.8% | 6th |
| 5v5 shooting % | 11.5% | 7th | 11.1% | 5th |
| 5v5 save % | .909 | 10th | .914 | 11th |
| 5v5 PDO | 1.024 | 6th | 1.025 | 8th |
| 5v5 offensive zone starts % | 53.0% | 7th | 45.7% | 27th |
| Attempts % when tied | 56.1% | 4th | 50.1% | 18th |
| Attempts % in close games | 55.9% | 4th | 50.4% | 16th |
| Attempts % leading | 52.9% | 8th | 45.2% | 23rd |
| Attempts % trailing | 49.1% | 23rd | 49.1% | 24th |
What the numbers tell us
The Canadiens controlled the game at even strength
A year ago the Habs won early games with the power play and goaltending while being outplayed at 5v5, with a 48.0% attempt share that ranked 22nd. This year they were sixth at 53.7%, and fourth when the game was tied or close. The offensive zone start share jumped from 45.7% (27th) to 53.0% (7th), which suggests a team that is getting out of its own end more cleanly. Blocked shots per game fell from 16.4 (8th) to 13.3 (24th), which fits a team that spends less time defending.
The power play was the worst in the league
Four goals on 42 chances is a 9.5% power play, 32nd in the NHL. The Canadiens also allowed two short-handed goals while scoring one themselves. Last October the same group scored on 28.1% (9 of 32), seventh best. The goals came from Zachary Bolduc (two), Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki, and Suzuki is now out. Juraj Slafkovskรฝ, who had three power-play goals last October, has none. This is the clearest thing to fix in November.
Discipline cost them
The Canadiens took 65 minor penalties, 31st in the NHL, and drew only 56. They were short-handed 3.93 times per game, 30th, while getting 3.0 power plays per game, 23rd. Their net penalty rate of minus 0.98 per 60 minutes was the worst in the league. The penalty kill was fine at 81.8%, 13th (up from 75.0% and 21st), but that is a lot of time to spend killing penalties. 55 times short-handed in 14 games is the kind of number that catches up with a team.
Goaltending: two very different months
Fowler went 7-1-0 with a 1.84 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage, two shutouts, and 205 saves on 220 shots. Among goalies with at least five games in the window he was second in save percentage and fifth in goals-against average. Dobeลก went 2-2-2 with a 4.05 and a .853 over six games. Last October the roles were reversed: Dobeลก was 6-0-0 with a 1.97 and a .930, while Samuel Montembeault went 2-3-0 with a 3.82 and a .842. Montembeault has not played this month because of injury.
Goalies: goals saved above expected
| Goalie | GP | GA | xGA | GSAx | GSAx/60 | SV% | Unblocked SV% | xSV% (unblocked) | GAA | xGAA | Wins above repl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Fowler | 8 | 15 | 24.81 | +9.8 | +1.202 | .932 | .967 | .945 | 1.84 | 3.04 | 1.63 |
| Jakub Dobeลก | 6 | 24 | 17.84 | -6.2 | -1.047 | .853 | .921 | .941 | 4.05 | 3.01 | -1.03 |
This is the cleanest way to see the gap between the two. Based on the quality of the shots he faced, Fowler should have allowed 24.81 goals and allowed 15, a swing of +9.8 goals in 8 games. Dobeลก faced shots that should have produced 17.84 goals and allowed 24, a swing of -6.2 in 6 games. The two faced similar quality, 3.1 expected goals against per game for Fowler and 3.0 for Dobeลก, so the difference came from the goalies, not the shots. Fowler’s 1.84 goals-against average, against an expected 3.04, shows how much of the month he carried.
Add the two together and the team’s goaltending was +3.6 goals above expected for the month, which is just above average. That is the honest read: Fowler was excellent, but the position as a whole was only a little better than a normal goaltending month because Dobeลก gave a lot of it back.
A little luck, but not a lot
The Canadiens finished sixth in 5v5 PDO at 1.024, which is shooting plus saving percentage and tends to drift back toward 1.000. Last year was almost identical at 1.025. The difference is that this year the team creates more shot attempts than it allows, so it does not need to be lucky to win. They went 6-3 in one-goal games, a healthy number, but with attempt shares of 55 to 56% in tied and close situations, that looks more like a team earning its results than a fluke.
Leading, not chasing
Over the last seven games (Oct. 17 to Oct. 31), the Canadiens have controlled the score. In the first period they were tied 71.7% of the time, ahead 14.1% and behind 14.2%. In the second period they led about 81% of the time and were never behind. In the third period they led 86.7% of the time, were tied 13.3%, and were never behind.
| Last 7 games | Leading | Tied | Trailing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st period | 14.1% | 71.7% | 14.2% |
| 2nd period | 81.7% | 18.3% | 0% |
| 3rd period | 86.7% | 13.3% | 0% |
The pattern is a team that survives a quiet first period, takes the lead in the middle of the game, and then protects it. It also explains part of the drop in shot attempt share in the Suzuki-less games: teams that are ahead are usually outshot, because the team that is behind has to push. That is a score effect, not the same thing as being outplayed. The question for November is how the Canadiens respond when they fall behind early, because they have barely been tested in that spot lately.
Player report
Every player gets his own two lines: the 2026-27 season (14 games, Sept. 29 to Oct. 31) and the 2025-26 season (11 games, Oct. 8 to Oct. 28). Ice time (TOI) is the average per game, and faceoff percentage only shows for players who took draws. PPP is power-play points, SHG and SHP are short-handed goals and points.
Expected goals: who is scoring more than the chances say
| Forward | Goals | xG | Goals minus xG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Anderson | 6 | 3.39 | +2.61 |
| Cole Caufield | 8 | 3.37 | +4.63 |
| Alexandre Texier | 2 | 2.43 | -0.43 |
| Nick Suzuki | 5 | 2.21 | +2.79 |
| Alex Newhook | 3 | 2.18 | +0.82 |
| Zachary Bolduc | 5 | 2.08 | +2.92 |
| Phillip Danault | 1 | 1.91 | -0.91 |
| Juraj Slafkovskรฝ | 2 | 1.70 | +0.30 |
| Jake Evans | 2 | 1.63 | +0.37 |
| Chris Kreider | 2 | 1.54 | +0.46 |
| Oliver Kapanen | 1 | 1.22 | -0.22 |
| Kirby Dach | 0 | 0.92 | -0.92 |
| Florian Xhekaj | 1 | 0.68 | +0.32 |
| Owen Beck | 0 | 0.40 | -0.40 |
| Ivan Demidov | 1 | 0.10 | +0.90 |
| All 15 forwards | 39 | 25.76 | +13.24 |
The forwards scored 39 goals on 25.8 expected goals, about 13 more than the chances were worth. Caufield (8 goals on 3.37 xG), Bolduc (5 on 2.08), Suzuki (5 on 2.21) and Anderson (6 on 3.39) are all well above the line. Some of that is real finishing. Caufield is a proven sniper, but a month at more than double his expected goals is hard to repeat. On the other side, Texier (2 on 2.43), Danault (1 on 1.91), Dach (0 on 0.92) and Beck (0 on 0.40) have scored fewer than the chances suggest. The conclusion for November: the Canadiens will need their chance volume to hold up, because the finishing will probably come back toward normal.
Forwards
Cole Caufield (RW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 8 | 4 | 12 | +4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 18.2% | 18:46 | 10 | 75.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 9 | 4 | 13 | +7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 29.0% | 18:18 | 13 | 0.0% |
Nick Suzuki (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 9 | 5 | 7 | 12 | +6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 19.2% | 21:46 | 14 | 53.8% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 2 | 14 | 16 | +9 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 7.7% | 20:18 | 5 | 52.3% |
Josh Anderson (RW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 6 | 3 | 9 | +6 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 20.0% | 14:22 | 29 | 50.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.1% | 15:07 | 12 | 71.4% |
Juraj Slafkovskรฝ (LW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5.9% | 18:15 | 10 | 25.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | +4 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 19.2% | 18:14 | 21 | 12.5% |
Chris Kreider (LW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | +5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 12.5% | 13:56 | 19 | 33.3% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Zachary Bolduc (RW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | +2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 21.7% | 13:54 | 21 | 0.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 4 | 2 | 6 | -1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 20.0% | 13:20 | 14 | 57.1% |
Alex Newhook (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21.4% | 16:34 | 15 | 52.5% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 4 | 4 | 8 | +6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 33.3% | 14:57 | 15 | 42.9% |
Phillip Danault (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 1 | 5 | 6 | +6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4.8% | 17:03 | 11 | 53.9% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Jake Evans (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 2 | 3 | 5 | +6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 16.7% | 14:48 | 12 | 53.8% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 6.2% | 16:19 | 14 | 56.4% |
Alexandre Texier (LW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10.5% | 13:07 | 17 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Kirby Dach (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.0% | 10:45 | 18 | 46.7% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10.0% | 13:34 | 11 | 39.6% |
Ivan Demidov (RW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25.0% | 15:37 | 3 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 2 | 7 | 9 | +2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 20.0% | 13:47 | 3 | – |
Florian Xhekaj (LW)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 16.7% | 7:42 | 16 | 20.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Owen Beck (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 8:30 | 9 | 100.0% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 8:21 | 0 | 58.3% |
Oliver Kapanen (C)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10.0% | 12:54 | 3 | 37.5% |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 4 | 3 | 7 | +1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 26.7% | 12:23 | 8 | 51.0% |
Cole Caufield had eight goals and 44 shots on goal in 14 games, the most on the team by a wide margin. Suzuki was the best point producer per game (12 points in nine games, 1.33), and his absence from the lineup is a big reason to watch the power play and the second line. Josh Anderson scored six goals after one last October, on only 14:22 per game. Chris Kreider and Phillip Danault, who were not on the team a year ago, finished with seven and six points and plus-five and plus-six ratings. On the other side, Alex Newhook had six points and a minus-four, and Kirby Dach had three points in 13 games with 10:46 of ice time. Ivan Demidov played only two games, with a goal and an assist.
Defense
Lane Hutson (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 3 | 10 | 13 | +8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 12.0% | 24:53 | 2 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 1 | 9 | 10 | +3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.1% | 22:32 | 8 | – |
Alexandre Carrier (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 1 | 5 | 6 | +5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7.7% | 20:18 | 9 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 11.1% | 18:26 | 5 | – |
Noah Dobson (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 14 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0.0% | 21:00 | 16 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 1 | 6 | 7 | +2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5.3% | 22:35 | 4 | – |
Mike Matheson (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6.7% | 23:45 | 5 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 11 | 3 | 3 | 6 | +6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 20.0% | 24:52 | 12 | – |
Kaiden Guhle (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 15.4% | 22:48 | 26 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14.3% | 19:14 | 16 | – |
Arber Xhekaj (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 11:54 | 19 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 10:37 | 13 | – |
Adam Engstrom (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.0% | 11:07 | 1 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
David Reinbacher (D)
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | SOG | S% | TOI | HITS | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 9:09 | 2 | – |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Was not with the Canadiens in October 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Hutson led the whole team in points with 13 (3 goals, 10 assists), a plus-eight, and 24:54 per game. Noah Dobson had five assists and no goals in 14 games, and Alexandre Carrier had six points with a plus-five. Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle each missed games, with eight and ten appearances, so the pairings were not stable all month.
Goalies
Jacob Fowler (G)
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SA | SV | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 220 | 205 | 15 | 1.84 | .932 | 2 | 61:08 |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | Did not play for the Canadiens in October | ||||||||||
Jakub Dobes (G)
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SA | SV | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 163 | 139 | 24 | 4.05 | .853 | 0 | 59:11 |
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 171 | 159 | 12 | 1.97 | .930 | 0 | 60:52 |
Samuel Montembeault (G)
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SA | SV | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 (Oct.) | Did not play for the Canadiens in October | ||||||||||
| 2025-26 (Oct.) | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 120 | 101 | 19 | 3.82 | .842 | 0 | 59:43 |
Goalie lines are from the games each goalie played. Samuel Montembeault did not play in October 2026.
Three stars of October
First star: Jacob Fowler. Seven wins, two shutouts, a 1.84 and a .932, and a 46-save shutout in St. Louis. He took a team that was 3-3-1 and gave up too many goals and turned it into a 9-3-2 team.
Second star: Lane Hutson. Thirteen points in 14 games, a plus-eight, and the most ice time on the roster at nearly 25 minutes a night.
Third star: Cole Caufield. Eight goals, 44 shots, and 12 points in 14 games. Honorable mentions go to Suzuki, who produced at 1.33 points per game before the injury, Anderson for six goals, and Bolduc for five goals including two on the power play.
Coach’s Take: October Was Played in Two Halves
October was played in two very different halves. In the first nine games, with Nick Suzuki in the lineup, the Canadiens went 4-3-2. After he was injured, they went 5-0-0.
When I go back through the first nine games, the Canadiens often played well at 5v5 and generated a lot of shots. The problem was what came next: they could not protect their leads, and they were undisciplined. They also were not opportunistic enough. With better finishing, and with a better month from Jakub Dobeลก, they could have had a better record in that stretch. But I do not want to put it all on him. The defensive coverage was not good enough, and in those games Dobeลก could not make the big save that changes a game.
Then Suzuki got hurt, and I expected the worst. I thought the Canadiens would struggle without their captain and that it would be a difficult time for the team. I was wrong. They played tight games, protected their leads and tightened up their defensive structure, and that gave them five straight wins. The whole team raised its game.
You can see it line by line. The fourth line of Jake Evans and Kirby Dach was struggling after nine games, and Evans bounced back with a three-point game in Chicago. Jacob Fowler then stepped up with two great performances, one in Winnipeg and one in St. Louis. In Dallas, Dobeลก gave the team a good game, and Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield scored two goals each. The second line had a difficult road trip and then bounced back on Saturday night against Pittsburgh, with three points from Josh Anderson and a goal each from Chris Kreider and Oliver Kapanen. And do not forget the Phillip Danault line: Alexandre Texier, Danault and Zachary Bolduc each scored a goal in the five-game run, and I think it was the most consistent line for the full month.
The defensemen stepped up too. Kaiden Guhle finished the month with four points, and every other defenseman who played during the five-game run added at least one point.
Many of us thought the Canadiens would finish October with some difficulties. Martin St-Louis found a way to keep the group together, and he surprised everyone with five wins to close the month.
It is not perfect. The power play still needs to improve, and I expect a better result when Ivan Demidov and Suzuki return. The discipline has to get better too. If they take even a few fewer penalties, it will make a big difference, and that is the area where they most need to improve.
My standout player: Jacob Fowler
Seven wins in eight starts, a 1.84 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, two shutouts, and +9.8 goals saved above expected. He is the reason the month ended the way it did.
My unsung player: Phillip Danault
Six points in 14 games and a plus-six, from a line that did its job every night. He does not get the headlines, but the Danault line was the most consistent group the Canadiens had all month.
At the office: Oliver Kapanen
Seven games, one goal, and it came in the win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 31 as part of the second line’s bounce-back night. Kapanen showed up and did his job.
Power Play Breakdown: Awful All Month
The power play was awful for the whole month. The Canadiens finished 4-for-42 (9.5%), last in the NHL, and the running percentage never reached 15%. Its high point was 14.8% after the Oct. 17 win over Buffalo, and it has not scored since. Over the last six games, from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31, the Canadiens went 0-for-15. In the five games without Suzuki they were 0-for-13.
| Date | Opponent | PP chances | PP goals | October total | PP% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 29 | @ TOR | 2 | 0 | 0-for-2 | 0.0% |
| Oct. 3 | @ PIT | 2 | 0 | 0-for-4 | 0.0% |
| Oct. 6 | CAR | 6 | 1 | 1-for-10 | 10.0% |
| Oct. 8 | NSH | 3 | 0 | 1-for-13 | 7.7% |
| Oct. 10 | DET | 4 | 0 | 1-for-17 | 5.9% |
| Oct. 13 | BUF | 3 | 1 | 2-for-20 | 10.0% |
| Oct. 14 | @ WSH | 2 | 1 | 3-for-22 | 13.6% |
| Oct. 17 | BUF | 5 | 1 | 4-for-27 | 14.8% |
| Oct. 20 | SJS | 2 | 0 | 4-for-29 | 13.8% |
| Oct. 23 | @ CHI | 3 | 0 | 4-for-32 | 12.5% |
| Oct. 25 | @ WPG | 0 | 0 | 4-for-32 | 12.5% |
| Oct. 27 | @ STL | 3 | 0 | 4-for-35 | 11.4% |
| Oct. 29 | @ DAL | 4 | 0 | 4-for-39 | 10.3% |
| Oct. 31 | PIT | 3 | 0 | 4-for-42 | 9.5% |
There are many reasons, and the first one is personnel. Ivan Demidov was hurt after the second game of the season, and Nick Suzuki was hurt after nine. Both play a big role on the power play. Suzuki is the player who carries the puck through the neutral zone and gets the unit into the offensive zone. Demidov is the player who distributes the puck or takes the one-timer. Without them, the units lost their puck carrier on entries and their best passer and shooter. In the nine games with Suzuki, the Canadiens were 4-for-29 (13.8%), and without him they scored on none of 13.
Even the four goals came in odd situations. Zachary Bolduc scored twice at 5v4 (Oct. 6 and Oct. 17), Lane Hutson scored on a 5v3 (Oct. 13), and Suzuki scored with the extra attacker on a delayed penalty (Oct. 14, 6v4). On regular 5v4 power plays the Canadiens had 39 shots on goal and scored twice. That is the part of the power play that really has not worked.
In my opinion, there are several factors. The power play is too predictable. There are too many passes and not enough movement or rotation, so the penalty killers know where the puck is going. The players keep waiting for the perfect shot instead of getting pucks to the net, and the passing is not crisp enough. Martin St-Louis changed both units a few times, but unfortunately nothing changed.
This is one part of the game the Canadiens need to improve quickly. With Suzuki returning soon, and Demidov back after him, I hope the power play gets back to what we saw last season, when it scored on 28.1% (9-for-32) in October and ranked seventh in the league.
What we learned
The Canadiens are a better team at even strength than they were a year ago, and they have a goalie who can steal games when they are not. They are also a team that spends too much time in the penalty box and cannot score with the man advantage. Both of those can change quickly, and the second one has to for November to go as well as October did.
The biggest question is what the team looks like without Suzuki. The record says 5-0-0, but the shot attempt share fell from 56.3% to 48.4%. Fowler will not be able to stop 46 shots every night. The same goes for the power play, which has to get better quickly now that Suzuki is expected back this week.
Looking ahead to November
The Canadiens have 14 games in November, six at home and eight on the road. All times are Eastern. Nov. 3 vs. Winnipeg (7:00), Nov. 5 vs. Utah (7:00), Nov. 7 at Toronto (7:00), Nov. 10 vs. Minnesota (7:00), Nov. 12 at Boston (7:00), Nov. 14 vs. Colorado (7:00), Nov. 16 at the Rangers (7:30), Nov. 18 at New Jersey (7:30), Nov. 19 at Carolina (7:00), Nov. 21 vs. Philadelphia (7:00), Nov. 23 vs. Los Angeles (7:30), Nov. 25 at Colorado (9:30), Nov. 28 at Vegas (4:00) and Nov. 30 at Utah (9:30).
The schedule has one back-to-back, Nov. 18 at New Jersey and Nov. 19 at Carolina. That back-to-back sits inside a stretch of three games in four nights (Nov. 16 at the Rangers, then New Jersey and Carolina), all on the road. The heaviest run is five games in eight nights from Nov. 14 to Nov. 21: Colorado, the Rangers, the Devils, the Hurricanes and the Flyers. The month ends with three games in the West, at Colorado, Vegas and Utah.
It is a tough month on paper. Ten of the 14 games are against teams that made last season’s playoffs: Boston, Carolina, Colorado (twice), Los Angeles, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Utah (twice) and Vegas. Nine of the 14 are against teams that hold a playoff spot in the standings as of Nov. 1: Boston, Carolina, Colorado (twice), Minnesota, New Jersey, Utah (twice) and Vegas. Only Winnipeg, Toronto, the Rangers, Philadelphia and Los Angeles are outside a playoff spot right now.
On the injury front, Nick Suzuki is expected back this week. Mike Matheson is out for about two weeks, Ivan Demidov is out of his boot, and Samuel Montembeault is day to day.
Three things to watch: the power play, penalty minutes, and whether the 5v5 attempt share stays above 50% with Suzuki back. For how the team looked after ten games, see our 10-game report card.
Sources: NHL official game data, standings and league statistics; MoneyPuck for expected goals and goals saved above expected. League ranks are among all 32 teams over each October window; this year’s window is Sept. 29 to Oct. 31 (14 games) and last year’s is Oct. 8 to Oct. 28 (11 games).
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