Seven games into the 2026-27 season, the Montreal Canadiens are exactly what their record says they are: a team still figuring itself out. At 3-3-1, the Habs have shown flashes of the speed and skill that got the Bell Centre buzzing last spring, along with some defensive lapses that have cost them points. Let’s break it down.
Last Night: Close, but No Cigar in Washington
Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Capitals was a perfect snapshot of the season so far. Montreal got on the board early when Josh Anderson, alone in front of the net, buried a feed from Alex Newhook at 4:56 of the first. After Washington’s Jordan Kyrou tied it, Lane Hutson put the Habs back in front with a quick shot from the slot, in his first-ever game against younger brother Cole. How’s that for a family story?
From there, the Capitals kept answering. A power-play goal deflected in off Anderson’s stick tied it late in the first, Alex Tuch scored short-handed in the second, and after Anderson tied it again from close range, Justin Holl and Tuch scored in the third to put it away. Nick Suzuki pulled Montreal within one with 1:39 left on a power play with the extra attacker, but that’s as close as it got. Tuch finished with two goals and an assist; Anderson had two for the Habs.
Worth noting: it was the second half of a back-to-back for both teams, and Montreal was coming off a shootout win over Buffalo the night before.
The Season So Far
- Sept. 29 @ Toronto: W 3-2
- Oct. 3 @ Pittsburgh: L 6-5 (OT)
- Oct. 6 vs Carolina: L 6-4
- Oct. 8 vs Nashville: L 5-2
- Oct. 10 vs Detroit: W 1-0 (SO)
- Oct. 13 vs Buffalo: W 4-3 (SO)
- Oct. 14 @ Washington: L 5-4
Three Takeaways
1. Josh Anderson is bringing it
Anderson has been one of Montreal’s top performers on multiple nights already, including the opener in Toronto and a two-goal effort in Washington. When the big winger is driving the net like this, the Habs are a much tougher out.
2. The goaltending picture is interesting
Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler have split the starts. Fowler has been the story of the past week, backstopping back-to-back shootout wins, including a 1-0 shootout victory over Detroit where he was the game’s top performer. How the crease is managed over the next few weeks will be one of the big storylines of the fall.
3. Too many goals against
Montreal has allowed five or more goals four times in seven games. The offence is there, with Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Anderson and Bolduc all making an impact, but tightening up defensively is job one if this team wants to climb the standings.
Where the Habs Stand
It’s early, but the Atlantic Division is already tight. Montreal sits at 7 points, tied with Toronto and Buffalo, three points back of Boston and Ottawa (10 points each). Tampa Bay and Florida are at 8. In other words, a good week could vault the Canadiens right back into the thick of things.
Coming Up
- Sat. Oct. 17 vs Buffalo, 7 p.m. at the Bell Centre (a quick rematch of Tuesday’s shootout thriller)
- Tue. Oct. 20 vs San Jose, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 23 to 29: a four-game road trip to Chicago, Winnipeg, St. Louis and Dallas
- Sat. Oct. 31 vs Pittsburgh, a Halloween night date at the Bell Centre
Saturday’s game against the Sabres is the kind every Habs fan should circle: a division rival, a chance to beat the Sabres twice in five days, and the start of a two-game homestand before the team hits the road. Go Habs Go!
More on MTL365
- Looking For Montreal Sports News? Here Are 10 Things You Should Know About the City’s 2026 Championship Hopes
- Halloween 2026 in Montreal: 15 Spooky (and Not-So-Spooky) Things to Do This October
- More Montreal sports on MTL365
Photo: Pymouss / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: AP / ESPN, ESPN NHL standings and schedule
