With October now being just a few short days away, the NHL regular season is almost here. The Montreal Canadiens kick off their 2025-26 campaign on Oct. 8 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in what should be an entertaining Original Six matchup. 

While the 2025-26 season is just about here, there are still some unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who have yet to be signed. Two of them happen to be former Canadiens, so let's take a look at each player now. 

Max Pacioretty, LW

Max Pacioretty remains unsigned with the regular-season almost here, and it will be fascinating to see if that changes. The former Canadiens captain appeared in 37 regular-season games this past season with the Maple Leafs, where he recorded five goals, 13 points, and 105 hits. However, he also notably picked things up offensively during the playoffs, recording three goals and eight points in 13 games for Toronto. 

Currently, Pacioretty is not signed to a professional tryout (PTO) at this point of training camp. If the veteran forward ends up hanging the skates instead of playing in 2025-26, he has had himself a strong career.

Jon Merrill, D 

Former Canadiens blueliner Jon Merrill is another player who has yet to be signed with the preseason here. The 33-year-old defenseman spent this past season with the Minnesota Wild, where he recorded two goals, six points, and a minus-8 rating.

Teams looking for an experienced depth defenseman could consider taking a flier on Merrill. However, at this time, he also does not have a PTO.