“I think me getting pulled at home was kind of a wake-up call. I took it personal,” Dobes admitted after Montreal’s 3-2 win in Buffalo, via NHL.com. “And we won today, so I’m really happy.“

Dobes was pulled in Game 6 after allowing six goals on 33 shots as the Sabres stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to blow out the Habs 8-3. In Game 7, the Czech goaltender was determined to right his wrongs. He stopped 37 shots and finished with a 1.68 GAA and .949 SV%. Most importantly, Dobes and the Canadiens punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.

Who’s next for Montreal?

After knocking the Sabres out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Canadiens have eliminated the first- and second-place teams in the Atlantic Division. Up next, the Habs will take on the Metropolitan Division champions and the top team in the Eastern Conference standings, the Carolina Hurricanes.

The stakes couldn’t be any higher as two opposites collide. Carolina will enter the series with extra rest, while Montreal has barely had time to catch its breath. The Hurricanes swept both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in the first and second rounds. In fact, their last game was on May 9. Considering the Eastern Conference Final against the Canadiens will start on May 21, they will have had 12 days off between series.

Canadiens vs Hurricanes

Getting rest is crucial in the postseason, but the Canes may prove that too much of anything can have adverse effects. As for the Habs, they needed seven games to defeat both of their opponents in the postseason. After all, opposites attract and the meeting point will be the Eastern Conference Final.

On one corner, a steamrolling machine that has needed only the bare minimum to dispatch opponents. On the other, an inconsistent yet talent-studded side that takes things to the limit before somehow hanging on for one-goal wins.

Hurricanes will face old ghosts

Since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Hurricanes have reached the Eastern Conference Final four times. However, they have won just one game across their last 17 appearances at this stage. Ever since they last won the Cup, the Canes are 1-16 and have been swept three times (2009, 2019, 2023) at the gates of the Stanley Cup Final.

Now reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the fifth time since 2009, Carolina is determined to slay its demons. So far, the Canes are undefeated in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but their track record in the conference final could get the better of them. If they lose Game 1 to the Habs, panic could kick in across Raleigh, and history might repeat itself.

“The Canadiens have recalled Owen Beck, Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher and Florian Xhekaj from the Laval Rocket,” Montreal announced on its social media, via @CanadiensMTL on X.

The four players combined for 37 appearances during the 2025–26 NHL regular season. Beck and Engstrom each played 15 games, while Xhekaj—Arber’s brother—appeared in five. Reinbacher, the former fifth overall pick in 2023, suited up only twice.

Needless to say, the Habs don’t expect them to play against the Sabres, nor in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Regardless, anything can happen and Montreal will much rather be safe than sorry.

Canadiens have a role for their black aces

“Black aces” is the term coined for players called up to the NHL from the AHL or junior leagues after their respective seasons come to an end. In the case of the Laval Rocket, they were eliminated by the Toronto Marlies in a best-of-five series in the North Division Semifinals.

With their campaigns coming to a heartbreaking end, the four youngsters will now join Montreal’s practices to get a taste of—and experience the atmosphere surrounding—the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, all signs suggest none of them will travel with the team, let alone crack the active lineup in such a high-stakes series against Buffalo.

Canadiens dream big

The Canadiens are searching for their 25th Stanley Cup in franchise history and their first since 1993—the last time a Canadian team won it all . As the final representative of the Great White North still standing, the pressure is on the Habs to deliver. More likely than not, they will not compromise their chances by dressing young players who may still be wet behind the ears.

Still, having them around the team could help their development while also giving the Canadiens additional depth should injuries begin to pile up and leave Montreal down to its last bullet in the chamber.

“I still want to continue to play,” Perry admitted recently to The Athletic. “Somebody said they’ll have to cut the skates off me before I leave this game. “Just love the day-to-day being around. It’s fun.“

Hopefully it doesn’t come down to such an extreme ending. The Tampa Bay Lightning‘s first-round elimination against the Montreal Canadiens may only make Perry hungrier. If Perry indeed returns in 2026-27, it will be his 22nd NHL season of his career.

Perry’s contract

Signed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings, Perry will see his current deal expire on July 1. Immediately after, he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in the NHL.

Fortunately, this isn’t Perry’s first rodeo. He has been here before and has grown accustomed to short summers with deep postseason runs and almost no time to make a decision on his future.

This time, the run wasn’t as deep, and he will have more time to make up his mind. One thing seems clear, though, and that is that Perry wants to be back for the 2026–27 campaign.

Perry’s Stanley Cup history

It’s probably the most known fact around Perry’s postseason career. The veteran has been in the losing end of the Stanley Cup Final in five of the last six NHL seasons. This time around, Perry aimed to redeem himself with the Bolts in 2025–26, whom he joined at the deadline after being traded from the Los Angeles Kings. However, Montreal had other plans, and the 2-1 defeat in Game 7 put an end to Perry’s quest. It may only be momentarily, though, as Perry is already eyeing next season.

At the end of the day, Perry was eliminated in the first round just like the Kings, though Tampa Bay lost by one goal in Game 7, whereas Los Angeles was swept. Still, only one team wins the Cup every year, and unfortunately for Perry, he won’t be hoisting the Cup that has been elusive to him since his sophomore campaign in 2007.

Still, all signs indicate he will be back for redemption next season. Whether it’s back in Tampa, Edmonton, Anaheim, or somewhere else, Perry will bring his A-game, even at 41 years old.

Gearing up for Game 5 against the Lightning, the Canadiens received a bittersweet update on Dobson, as he is making progress but his return to play remains unconfirmed. Most signs suggest Dobson will miss the upcoming matchup with Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it might be the last game he misses.

As reported by TVA Sports‘ Renaud Lavoie, Dobson joined the rest of the Canadiens’ scratches for an optional morning skate at Benchmark International Arena. Seeing the blueliner back on the ice with teammates for the first time since sustaining a hand injury may signal Dobson is closer than ever to making his return to NHL action. Still, he appears set to be absent from the lineup in Game 5.

Dobson’s injury

Dobson has been sidelined since April 11, when he blocked a shot with his left hand in a regular-season matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Montreal has Dobson listed with an upper-body injury.

Since the incident, Dobson has been absent from the Habs’ last six games (two in the regular season and four in the postseason). If the 25-year-old defenseman is indeed out for Game 5 against the Bolts, it will be his seventh straight game missed.

Dobson has missed games every year

Injuries have been a common theme in Dobson’s career, though most have usually been short-term. Since he entered the NHL in 2019, the former first-round selection (12th overall) has never played a full 82-game season. So far in his playoff career, Dobson has appeared in 31 games, recording 10 assists and no goals.

Perhaps he scores his first during the first-round series against the Lightning. It’d be perfect timing for both himself and the Habs. Still, Dobson’s return to play in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs remains uncertain.

Recent signs are encouraging, and the Canadiens might rush him back onto the ice if they fall behind 3-2 and face elimination in Game 6, which will be back home in Quebec’s metropolis.

“The defenseman is skating. It’s another step forward. Return to play still undetermined,” the Canadiens stated on their update on Dobson, via Anthony Martineau on X.

Fans in Montreal remained hopeful Dobson could be back in the lineup for Game 5 of the first-round series against Tampa Bay. Dobson made noise early on Tuesday as he skated by himself—and was later joined by Mike Matheson—prior to the team’s practice in Quebec before traveling to Florida. However, it looks like he won’t be able to play as the Habs vie for a 3-2 series lead on the road.

Canadiens confirm players’ status

As reported by Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, head coach Martin St. Louis confirmed both Juraj Slafkovsky and Josh Anderson will play in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Lightning. However, St. Louis provided no update on Dobson, who has yet to make his return to the lineup. Moreover, the former New York Islanders blueliner has yet to join the rest of the group in a team practice.

Though reports suggested the Canadiens could have Dobson back for the series against the Lightning, him missing the entire first round remains plausible. As Montreal said in its statement, Dobson is showing progress, but he is still not quite there yet to be cleared and reactivated. All signs indicate the 26-year-old defenseman is on track to miss his seventh straight outing in the 2025-26 NHL season for the Habs.

What happened to Dobson?

Dobson’s last appearance was on April 11, during Montreal’s regular-season defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dobson was in pain after blocking a shot with his left hand and hasn’t played since for the Habs.

At first, Montreal thought it had things under control even without him available. However, the Bolts are now putting the Habs against the ropes, and the latter have realized just how important having Dobson in the lineup is for them. The Canadiens hope to have him back as soon as possible. If not, it might be too late.

Since blocking a shot with his left hand during Montreal’s 5–2 defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 11, Dobson has been out with an upper-body injury, as listed by the Canadiens. When announcing Dobson’s injury, the Habs confirmed the defenseman would be re-evaluated in two weeks. That date is now (almost) here, and the blueliner is set for a new evaluation.

As reported by TVA Sports‘ Renaud Lavoie, the Canadiens will have a better understanding of where Dobson stands in his recovery—and possibly make an announcement on him—in the next 48 hours. It’s no surprise, as it would meet exactly the timeline Montreal had set for its talented defenseman. Dobson could return just in time for some critical matchups against the Lightning.

Could Dobson return from injury?

The Canadiens have yet to make any announcement on Dobson, who has been inactive since April 11. However, the 26-year-old recently returned to the ice in team practices. With him skating and participating in drills again, the signs could suggest he’s trending toward a return and could play in his first playoff game with the Habs.

Dobson won’t play in Game 4 of the first-round series against the Bolts, but he could be back in action in later games of this evenly matched showdown or later in the Stanley Cup Playoffs if Montreal advances. Having Dobson in the lineup could be huge for the Habs to clinch the series and move on.

Dobson could be difference-maker

Dobson was second in the league in blocked shots, and his defensive skills could prove to be the difference in a matchup with the Bolts that has been decided through sudden-death overtime in the first three games of the series. In such a tight series, a presence like Dobson’s could be huge.

Tampa Bay is in a similar position with Victor Hedman, its top defenseman, who is listed as doubtful to play in the opening round. The Canadiens have done just fine without Dobson, but getting him back could be all she wrote for the Lightning.

If Dobson returns, who is taken off the lineup?

In the event of Dobson recovering from his injury and being inserted back into the lineup, the Canadiens will have to make roster moves. Most likely, one of Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble, or Arber Xhekaj will be scratched to make room for Dobson. There’s always a possibility head coach Martin St. Louis healthy-scratches a forward and puts together an 11-forward, 7-defenseman lineup, but it feels very unlikely.

“It was one play, it was only one play,” Martin St. Louis said on Dach’s mistake in overtime, via The Hockey News. “[Dach] brings physicality. For me, in the last two weeks, he has played with a lot of combativity.“

Prior to Moser’s overtime, game-winning goal, Dach sent a pass the length of the rink, icing the puck. With tired bodies on the ice, the Lightning gained possession off the draw, and Moser cashed in. Habs fans didn’t take it lightly. Following harsh backlash online, Dach deactivated his social media accounts.

Once again, the Canadiens’ fanbase proved it is among the most passionate in the NHL, but it can often cross the line between passion and madness.

Canadiens suffer rough loss in Game 2

The Montreal Canadiens came just inches away from taking a 2-0 series lead as Lane Hutson hit the post with less than a minute left in regulation. Immediately after, the ice at Benchmark International Arena tilted. From that moment on, it was all Tampa Bay Lightning in the extra period. Montreal was put up against the wall by Tampa Bay.

The Habs recorded no shots on goal in 12:48 minutes of overtime, and it was the Bolts’ ninth shot that finally beat Jakub Dobes and tied the series at one game apiece. That was all she wrote for the Canadiens in their second visit to the Big Guava. The series is even as it heads to Quebec’s metropolis.

Canadiens fans used Dach as scapegoat

Indeed, Dach’s icing was costly, but it’s far from the main reason why the Habs lost the game. They were unable to create anything, and the Bolts ran circles around them in overtime. As the Canadiens return home to The City of Saints, it remains to be seen how the capacity crowd at Bell Centre will greet Dach.

Perhaps, Martin St. Louis takes him out of the lineup. St. Louis has won virtually every trophy during his playing career, but he’s learned even more valuable lessons—one of them being to never air dirty laundry in public.

Lightning vs Canadiens: Series schedule

• Game 3: Lightning at Canadiens (April 24)
• Game 4: Lightning at Canadiens (April 26)
• Game 5: Canadiens at Lightning (April 29)
• Game 6: Lightning at Canadiens (May 1)*
• Game 7: Canadiens at Lightning (May 3)*

*If needed

As the Canadiens announced on their social media, Dobson has sustained an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Montreal had no further comment on Dobson’s injury, nor details on what exactly happened to him. The injury was sustained during the Habs’ 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 11, when Dobson had just 12:57 minutes of ice time (averages 22:29 on the season).

As a result, Dobson was left out of the lineup for the Canadiens’ matchup against his former team, the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Dobson has now missed games for the seventh-straight NHL season. Since he made his league debut, Dobson has never played a full 82-game campaign.

Through 80 games with the Canadiens, Dobson has recorded 47 points, thanks to his 12 goals and 35 assists. In his first season with the Habs, Dobson has quickly made an impact and emerged as a top scoring option on the blue line. Dobson is the sixth-leading point scorer in Montreal, and second among defensemen behind Lane Hutson.

Will Dobson miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

As it stands, Dobson is scheduled for a re-evaluation by the Canadiens’ medical team in two weeks. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will drop the puck on April 18th, meaning Dobson will miss—at least—the first half of the opening round of the postseason. The Habs are keeping their cards close to the chest when it comes to Dobson’s situation, thus nothing can be entirely ruled out.

Dobson could end up missing much more time just like he could be back for Game 4-7 of the First Round. Regardless, the Canadiens have some big skates to fill on the defensive side of the puck with Dobson out of the lineup. A youngster with sky-high expectations could now be asked to blossom into a big role.

Canadiens call up David Reinbacher

The Habs announced the call-up of David Reinbacher shortly after confirming Dobson’s injury. Reinbacher, the former fifth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, made his career debut against the Islanders. It’s the first of many, and the Habs definitely hope Reinbacher can become a staple of their blue line.

Perhaps he takes over early in his career and helps the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s a next-man-up mentality, and there may not be a better replacement for Dobson than Reinbacher across the league.

“[The Lightning] are a team that we’ve definitely been trying to get to,” Caufield said in a powerful statement after the game, via NHL.com. “We’ve been building. It’s obviously a good feeling, but we’re still hungry for more.”

Following the 4-1 victory at Benchmark International Arena, the Canadiens are still third in the Atlantic Division, but have cut down Tampa Bay‘s lead over them to just two points. Though still pressured by the Boston Bruins (currently WC1) with 94 points, the Habs’ 96 points put them in great position to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Wins like Tuesday night’s over the Bolts show the rest of the league that Montreal is for real, and a menace come playoff time in the NHL. This could be the year the Canadiens snap Canada’s Cup drought, and hoist their first Stanley Cup since 1993.

Caufield’s numbers

Cole Caufield has earned the nickname “Mr. Saturday Night” thanks to his perfect blend of consistency and, as kids these days call it, aura during the 2025–26 NHL season. As it stands, Caufield has scored 20 goals in 21 Saturday night outings this campaign, as reported by Montreal Gazette.

However, Caufield could very well be called “Mr. Tuesday Night” or any other day, for that matter. He’s been that good all season long—every day of the week. Thus, it’s not surprising he is second in the league in goals with 47, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon’s 49.

Caufield leads Montreal’s Cup dream

Caufield is putting on a show night in and night out for the Canadiens. With him in such form, fans in Quebec’s metropolis can let their dreams run wild and free. The sky is the limit in the City of Saints, and the Habs aren’t afraid to aim for the stars and shoot for the moon.

Alex DeBrincat shined for Detroit, scoring the go-ahead goal late in the third period and adding two assists. J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp also scored to keep the Red Wings tied with Montreal in points for third place in the Atlantic Division and level with the Boston Bruins for the Eastern Conference wild-card spots.

This was DeBrincat’s second straight three-point game, and his line with Compher and Patrick Kane has become Detroit’s primary scoring force since Dylan Larkin’s lower-body injury on March 6. Copp returned after missing three games and added an empty-net goal to seal the win.

DeBrincat leads Red Wings’ scoring line

DeBrincat’s five-game point streak, with nine points (one goal, eight assists), highlights his importance to Detroit’s playoff push. “(Compher) has been great since (Larkin) and (Copp) went out. He was filling in on Larkin’s line and now he’s playing with us and he’s been really good. Now we’ve got (Copp) back as well,” DeBrincat said.

Red Wings stay in playoff contention

The win keeps Detroit in a strong position for the postseason, tied in points with Montreal and the Bruins for the Eastern Conference wild-card spots. John Gibson’s 32 saves and the top line’s consistency reflect the competitive identity Todd McLellan expects from his team, showing Detroit can contend even without Larkin in the lineup.

“I found late in the third period we didn’t manage risk properly,” St. Louis admitted after the 4-3 loss, via NHL.com. “I felt we were too aggressive and lacked a bit of execution. We gave up good chances late in the game that we didn’t have to give them.”

Montreal conceded the game-deciding goal to Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier—his 34th on the NHL season—with 2:30 minutes left in the third period. Such a blow was one too harsh for the Habs to recover from, and they have now lost back-to-back games at home.

Canadiens having trouble in homestand

Riding a three-game win streak, the Canadiens returned home to take on the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Boston Bruins at Bell Centre. So far, the homestand is off to a terrible start.

The Habs have dropped back-to-back games, and must now hold off the historic rival Bruins in a decisive game with playoff implications. If the Canadiens are serious about making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they can’t afford to go winless in three consecutive home games.

Playoff picture

Montreal currently sits in third place in the Atlantic Division. However, the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings—first and second wild cards, respectively—are both sitting just two points behind. Boston must make a quick stop in New Jersey before its visit to “The City of Saints”.

Thus, the Bruins and Habs might face-off in a game directly for the third place in the division. Meanwhile, the Red Wings will host the Calgary Flames, looking to end their three-game losing hex.

The race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is on. The Eastern Conference has turned into a bloodbath, and one misstep may be the difference between playing meaningful hockey in late April or enjoying an extra-long offseason. The Habs know the buzz in town would make the latter anything but an enjoyable period.