The Montreal Canadiens Going in what feels like a crucial season in 2025-26. They are not completely ready to be labeled, but they are also far removed from written off as basement residents. It is that uncomfortable midfield and where every small step matters, where development, consistency and chemistry are the real game changers.
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The top names will of course pull the headlines. Nick Suzuki remains the heartbeat of the franchise, Cole Caufield offers the attacking spark and Sam Montembeault proves steadily as a reliable option in the goal. But here is the thing: for teams caught between reconstruction and rising, they are often not the stars that shift the balance. It is the in -law players, the surprise breakouts, those who do not invoice a selection frame, but succeed in tilting the ice.
That is where things will be interesting for Montreal this season. Among the spotlight, two names stand out as potential differencemakers: Joshua Roy and Jayden Struble. Neither wears a superstar hype, but both have the tools to have a meaningful impact when they get the chance.
Joshua Roy – Climbing quietly, ready to linger
Roy did not enter the NHL with the expectations of the first round. Drawn up 150th in general in 2021, he was more “Longshot Project” than “Sure Thing”. But the thing about Roy? Since then he has answered every challenge.
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After tearing the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with 119 points in 2021-22, Roy moved seamlessly to Pro Hockey. In Laval, he demonstrated his ability to stimulate an attack against heavier competition. Last season he brought in 11 points in 35 NHL matches, which proved that he could contribute without watching misplaced.
Roy’s game is not flashy, and that really works to his advantage. He is smart with the puck, responsible with it, and versatile enough to swing in several roles. He has shown value on the penalty -he can support skilled line sizes without having to dominate touches, and he has a talent because he is in the right place at the right time. For a line -up of Canadiens that has struggled with consistency in the middle Six, Roy is perhaps the kind of stabilizer they have missed.
If he has a strong camp, it is not unrealistic to think that he could crack the opening night schedule. And once there, Roy feels like the type of player who could quietly strengthen his place and force the organization to keep him in the line -up.
Jayden Struble – Grit, skating and a defensive spark
On the other side of the ice cream, Strroble Montreal offers something else. With prospects such as Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle, the Puck-Moving and offensive responsibilities expected to bear the role of Struble with a grim edge.
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Last season, Struble played 56 games with the Canadiens and did not look misplaced. He was not asked to do too much, and that was the key – he kept things simple, defended hard and brought energy when the team needed it the most. His skates enables him to keep forward faster, and his willingness to play physically offers the Canadiens a tool that they sometimes miss on the back.
The Habs rewarded him A two -year contract this summerA clear sign that the organization appreciates what it entails. Struble does not go to Quarterback a Power Play or accelerating points, but if Montreal needs a defensive reset, he can be the steady presence that helps to arrange things.
Why players like the Canadiens
It is easy to circl the stars when projecting the ceiling of a team. But in reality, depth keeps a team standing during the grind of an 82-game season. Injuries, malaise and matchups all put pressure on schedules, and teams with reliable contributors outside their top line are those who find ways to move forward.
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Roy and Struble will not dominate roll heights. They may not even be well -known names outside of Montreal. However, what they bring – a mix of responsibility, energy and adaptability – can help stabilize a line -up that still finds its true identity. For a Canadiens team that wants to go beyond ‘promising but inconsistent’, players like this can be the difference between being stuck in the middle and actually a step in the direction of relevance.
The countdown is in Montreal
Training camp will be opened soon and the big names – Suzuki, Caufield, Montembeault – will rightly contain the spotlights. But just outside that circle are players such as Roy and Struggest, who prepare themselves quietly to cut their place.
Every season unexpected names – players who were not in the headlines in September appeared but became part of the story in the spring. For Montreal, Roy and Struble can be those players. If they seize their chances, they can give the Canadiens exactly what they need: balance, stability and the kind of contributions that not only fills the space, but really move the team ahead.
The next breakout story of the Canadiens can already be here – it just doesn’t come from where everyone looks.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
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