Del Gaizo played a career-high 46 games with the Nashville Predators last season, scoring nine points (2G / 7A), but was unable to crack Montreal's roster to start the season. The 26-year-old defenseman has one point (0G / 1A) in six games with the Laval Rocket (AHL) in 2025-26.
Unexpectedly, the Canadiens have alternated goalies this season, with both Jakub Dobes and Sam Montembeault starting six games. Dobes has been the better of the two goalies, but Montembeault will be between the pipes on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 29-year-old Montembeault has a concerning 3.66 GAA and .839 SV% in six games this season (3-3-0). Still, the Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as -152 home favorites against a Flyers team that is tied for last in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5-1 record.
Unexpectedly, the Canadiens have alternated goalies this season, with both Jakub Dobes and Sam Montembeault starting six games. Dobes has been the better of the two goalies, but Montembeault will likely be between the pipes on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 29-year-old Montembeault has a concerning 3.66 GAA and .839 SV% in six games this season (3-3-0). Still, the Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as -152 home favorites against a Flyers team that is tied for last in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5-1 record.
Trudeau turned pro in 2023 and has played three straight seasons with the Laval Rocket. Most recently, the 23-year-old defenseman had five goals and 14 assists (19 points) in 68 games. With a loaded blueline in Montreal, Trudeau's path to NHL games is difficult.
The Canadiens' fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft has battled injuries early in his professional career and has been sidelined to this point in the 2025-26 season, recovering from a broken metacarpal bone. The 20-year-old defenseman has yet to play an NHL game and was limited to only 10 contests with the Laval Rocket in 2024-25, scoring five points (2G / 3A).
With William Nylander (lower body) out of the lineup on Wednesday, Blais will make his season debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old Blais spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, but is no stranger to the NHL, with 71 points (27G / 44A) in 257 career games.
After 10 games (7-3-0), Montreal has been pleasantly surprised by the play of Dobes between the pipes and will turn to him for his sixth start of the season on Tuesday when they face off against the Seattle Kraken. Dobes has been near perfect to start the 2025-26 season, posting a stellar 1.77 GAA and .940 SV% in five games (5-0-0). The Czech goalie started last season with a similar 5-0-0 record. The Canadiens enter Tuesday's contest as -121 road favorites against a Kraken team off to a solid 5-2-2 start.
With Robert Thomas (upper body) and Jake Neighbours (undisclosed) ruled out of Monday's contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alexey Toropchenko and Alexandrew Texier will draw back into the lineup. The 26-year-old Texier is averaging 8:25 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) in five games this season.
With Kirby Dach (lower body) returning from a three-game absence, Roy will head to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Roy made his season debut in Montreal's previous game, playing 7:58 time-on-ice.
Dach has not played in Montreal's previous three games, recovering from a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 24-year-old Dach is averaging 14:29 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in five games this season.
With Oskar Sundqvist (lower body) making his season debut on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth, Texier will likely head to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Texier is averaging a career-low 8:25 time-on-ice through five games and has one point (0G / 1A).
On the tail end of a back-to-back, the Canadiens will turn to Momtemeault between the pipes on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Montembeault has failed to be spectacular early in the 2025-26 season, often outdueled by counterpart Jakub Dobes, but has remained serviceable, winning two of four games (2-2-0) despite a pedestrian 3.26 GAA and .857 SV%. The 28-year-old Montembeault faces arguably his toughest competition of the season, facing off against Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
The Canadiens have alternated goalies early in the 2025-26 season, a trend that will continue on Wednesday with Dobes tending the twine against the Calgary Flames. The 24-year-old Czech goalie has been outstanding through three games (3-0-0), posting a stellar 1.63 GAA and .939 SV%. Dobes had a similar start to the 2024-25 season, winning his first five contests while posting a .940 SV%. The 5-2-0 Canadiens enter Wednesday's contest as -115 road favorites against a Flames team desperate to stop a six-game losing skid (0-6-0).
Dach has not played in Montreal's previous two games, recovering from a lower-body injury, but is nearing a return and will travel with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip. The 24-year-old Dach is averaging 14:29 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in five games this season.
Beck was recalled from Laval (AHL) last week and drew into two games for the Canadiens, but will return to the AHL. The 21-year-old forward was the 33rd-overall pick by Montreal in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, tallying 44 points (15G / 29A) in 64 games with Laval.
Del Gaizo played a career-high 46 games with the Nashville Predators last season, scoring nine points (2G / 7A), but started his 2025-26 campaign in the AHL with Laval. The 26-year-old defenseman was a fourth-round pick in 2019 and has played 55 career games at the NHL level.
Roy has been used sparingly at the NHL level by the Canadiens the previous two season, scoring 11 points (6G / 5A) in 35 combined games, and could draw into the lineup for the first time in 2025-26 after being recalled from Laval (AHL) on Tuesday. The 22-year-old spent most of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, scoring 35 points (20G / 15A) in 47 games with Laval.
