The Montreal Canadiens should be making some changes to their roster during this off-season. However, if the Canadiens hope to make some notable upgrades, they also should be looking to free up some cap space. Two Canadiens were recently included on Matt Larkin's latest NHL trade board for Daily Faceoff [https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/toronto-sceptres-hire-stanley-cup-champion-pascal-rheaume-new-head-coach-pwhl-troy-ryan-gina-kingsbury], as Brendan Gallagher and Samuel Montembeault made the cut. Gallagher being named a top trade candidate is not hard to understand. It is no secret that the Canadiens are working to find him a new home, and he confirmed while speaking to reporters that his time in Montreal is coming to an end. With Gallagher being scratched for the Canadiens' entire playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes, it simply makes sense that he is heading elsewhere. Gallagher had a quiet 2025-26 season, posting seven goals and 23 points. Yet, when noting that he had 21 goals and 38 points just back in 2024-25, it is likely that he will generate some interest as a bounce-back candidate. His strong resume and excellent leadership qualities also add to his appeal. As for Montembeault, a fresh start would certainly do him good. Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler have jumped ahead of Montembeault on the Canadiens' depth chart, so he would benefit from a change of scenery. The Canadiens would also be wise to move on from his $3.15 million cap hit. Montembeault had a 10-8-4 record, a 3.43 goals-against average, and an .872 save percentage in 25 games this season for the Habs. While he had a tough year, he could still generate some interest from teams looking to upgrade their backup goalie spot.
