The Montreal Canadiens, following their first-round elimination at the hands of the Washington Capitals in Game 5 on Wednesday night, will now get an early start to their summer.

That situation means the Montreal squad will need to analyze its roster and determine which players will be back next season. That also means that some players will be looking for new homes this summer.

So, let’s take a look at five Montreal Canadiens players who could be wearing another team’s colors next fall.

5 Montreal Canadiens players who potentially will not be part of team in 2025-26

#5 Jakub Dobes

Jakub Dobes was a revelation for the Montreal Canadiens this season. He got off to a scorching start and then cooled off as the season progressed. The 23-year-old netminder is scheduled to be an RFA this summer.

While the Canadiens will do whatever they can to keep Dobes, there could be some discrepancies between what the team thinks Dobes’ next contract should be and what Dobes believes he’s worth.

If the two sides can’t agree on a deal, the Habs might feel compelled to trade his rights.

#4 Michael Pezzetta

Michael Pezzetta is a solid, fourth-line grinder for any club. However, he found his playing time increasingly dwindling in Montreal. That situation means the Habs could let the 27-year-old walk away.

It’s worth pointing out that this $813K cap hit is certainly affordable. So, the Montreal Canadiens may see the value in keeping him around. But if the team feels they could benefit from bringing someone else in, then Pezzetta could be searching for a job elsewhere this summer.

#3 Christian Dvorak

Christian Dvorak could be looking for a new team this summer - Source: ImagnChristian Dvorak could be looking for a new team this summer - Source: Imagn
Christian Dvorak could be looking for a new team this summer – Source: Imagn

Dvorak played a bottom-six role for the Canadiens this season. While he didn’t blow up the scoreboard, he provided decent depth scoring 12 goals and 33 points in all 82 games.

PuckPedia reports Dvorak’s cap hit this season as $4.45 million. That’s far too high for a player who projects as a 3C at best. As such, the Canadiens may be compelled to move on from Dvorak and look for a cheaper alternative for their bottom six.

#2 Joel Armia

Like Dvorak, Joel Armia is a serviceable bottom-six forward. But his $3.4 million cap hit makes him an expensive option for the Montreal Canadiens.

At 31, Armia will be looking to get the best possible deal available to him. That situation could mean moving to a team desperate enough to pay him whatever he wants. If that’s the case, Armia could be wearing a different sweater come next fall.

#1 David Savard

David Savard was the subject of ongoing trade rumors this season. Nothing materialized in the end, allowing Savard to play out the final year of his contract in Montreal.

At 34, the Canadiens may feel they would like to move on and bring in someone younger. Lane Hutson’s emergence has certainly removed the team’s need to acquire a high-end top-pairing defenseman.

Savard’s $3.5 million cap hit could also go toward another blue liner who could potentially fill a bottom-four role without breaking the bank.

Of course, there’s a chance Savard comes back on a short-term deal. But that is something that will not happen early in the summer. If Savard remains unsigned toward the end of August, the two sides could agree on a short-term deal to bring back the veteran blue liner.