​The Montreal Canadiens’ season ended with the disappointment of falling just short of earning a spot in the Stanley Cup Final, a rare opportunity that would have marked their first appearance since 2021. Yet there is a bright side: the team appears well positioned to remain competitive in the tough Atlantic Division for years to come, thanks to a core group that is locked up to long-term, team-friendly contracts. In the latest offseason chatter, Montreal added former New York Rangers draft pick Brett Berard, and they were briefly linked to Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, who ultimately chose to re-sign with Ottawa. The Canadiens have also been tied to prominent forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Speaking of Penguins connections, one unrestricted free agent who remains unsigned and is coming off a career year could provide an intriguing option for Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes to explore. BPM Sports Radio analyst Marc-Olivier Beaudoin noted that Montreal has shown interest in signing Anthony Mantha on a short-term agreement. He also highlighted Mantha’s stated preference for a longer, more secure deal, which could complicate a Montreal pursuit. Still, in professional hockey, circumstances can change rapidly, leaving a sliver of possibility for a deal to emerge.
“I’m told that the Canadiens have shown interest in Anthony Mantha’s services,” Beaudoin posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That said, we’re talking about a willingness to team up on a very short-term basis, while Mantha would be seeking a medium-to-long-term contract. The chances of Mantha signing in Montreal are therefore quite slim, but given how quickly things can shift in hockey, it remains a slight possibility. To be continued.”
Mantha has been a high-profile asset for the Penguins since a challenging previous season with Calgary, where he missed nearly all of the campaign due to a torn ACL suffered in October 2024. The gamble has paid off so far, as Mantha delivered the best output of his career, posting 33 goals and 31 assists for a 64-point season and surpassing the 30-goal mark for the first time. He arrived on a one-year, $2.5 million contract and is now seeking greater security and a salary boost in his next deal.
At the moment, the Canadiens have a little over $13 million in salary-cap space for the 2026-27 season, giving them some flexibility as they balance young talent development with veteran acquisitions. During the season-ending media availability in early May, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas signaled that Mantha’s future with the organization might be in question. “I spoke directly with Anthony in his exit interview,” Dubas said on May 12. “I haven’t had any discussions with his agent. He was clear with me about his intentions, and that’s private and personal for him. It’s not for me to reveal publicly, but we’ll see how everything materializes.” The comments underscored the uncertainty surrounding Mantha’s next destination, leaving open the possibility that Montreal—or another team—could emerge as a potential landing spot depending on how negotiations unfold and how the market shifts in the coming weeks.
In sum, while the Canadiens’ bid to reach the Final came up just short, the franchise remains well-positioned to capitalize on the current cap environment and roster progression. The pursuit of a right fit through free agency, whether short-term or potentially longer-term, could provide an additional layer of depth as Montreal builds toward continued contention in the Atlantic Division for the foreseeable future.