A memorable offseason

MONTREAL – We're launching a petition to call it something other than the “offseason,” because so far, Habs players’ summers have been very much on.

From the Caribbean to Slovakia and stopping through Miami, the Maritimes, and Spain, the Canadiens have been spotted all over the world as they enjoy a few weeks off between the end of the Eastern Conference Final and the start of the 2026-27 season.

One stage after another

Invited on stage by Luke Combs were Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jakub Dobes, and Brendan Gallagher, who kicked off their offseason with a concert at Parc Jean Drapeau – attended by the whole team – sharing a moment (and a refreshment) with the superstar country singer.

Trotting the globe

While on a trip to Barbados and St. Lucia, Josh Anderson – whose nickname is, of course, “Powerhorse” – found himself riding on the back of his spirit animal and played a few golf games with his best friend and their respective fathers.

For his part, Jayden Struble saw the sights in Spain with a friend.

Jacob Fowler reunited with his former Boston College teammates to celebrate the Fourth of July in his home country.

Sport unites the world

Full-time athletes and sports fans in their free time, our players did not miss out on the world’s sporting event of the summer: the FIFA World Cup.

To prepare for the tournament, Jake Evans, Alex Newhook, and Nick Suzuki watched Canada square off with Ireland in a friendly match at Montreal’s Saputo Stadium.

Then, Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes took a detour to Miami to support Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.

A few weeks later, Cole Caufield linked up with Trevor Zegras, Dylan Larkin, and other NHL players to watch the final match which saw Spain emerge as world champion.

Sticking with the theme of sports on grass, Alexandre Texier swapped out his Habs jersey for one of his compatriot and pro rugby player Ange Capuozzo at the France Top 14 championship.

No rest for the wicked

Hockey fans could get a fix of their favorite sport and the Habs at a number of Living Sisu matchups, a summer pro 3-on-3 hockey league. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Carrier, Ivan Demidov, Jake Evans, Jayden Struble, and prospect Alexander Zharovsky all laced up their skates to help the organizers raise money for Pancreatic Cancer North America.

Juraj Slafkovsky lost no time getting back to training at the gym in Slovakia.

Caring for the community

For a fourth straight year, Noah Dobson’s HockeyFest took place in Prince Edward Island. The event raises money for the Community Connections nonprofit and for adults with intellectual disabilities. While we wait for the final fundraising amount to be announced, these photos should give you an idea of what a successful street hockey event it was for the Canadiens defenseman.

A bit further east in Canada, in St. John’s, Alex Newhook is busy prepping for the third edition of his golf tournament, which is slated for August 4 and which benefits many local organizations. Among the guests expected to participate in Newfoundland and Labrador are Kaiden Guhle, Jakub Dobes, Jayden Struble, Arber et Florian Xhekaj, and Canadiens Alum Chris Nilan.

Those latter three were all together at the Chris Nilan Golf Classic on July 13 at the Summerlea golf club in Vaudreuil-Dorion. The event, supported by the Liam Foundation, helps fund research into mitochondrial diseases.

Supporting the next generation

Himself a former first-round pick, Kirby Dach headed to Buffalo to see his cousin, Keaton Verhoeff, get selected ninth overall at the 2026 NHL Draft.

He wasn’t the only one to come cheer on the next generation of hockey stars. While Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov took in the Canadiens Development Camp scrimmages to see the organization’s prospects in action, Martin St-Louis was also in the house to give them an inspiring talk in the team’s locker room.

Some female hockey players got some tips and tricks from Alex Newhook, who was a special guest at the Maggie Connors and Abby Newhook Elite Hockey Camp for girls at the U9 to U15 levels.

The Canadiens family continues to grow

After Mike Matheson became a dad for the third time, it was now time for Alexandre Carrier and his wife, Alicia, who became parents with the birth of their first child, Olivia.

It may be hot out for a while yet, but you can start getting ready for Canadiens hockey by checking out the 2026-27 schedule, which gets underway in late September. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer!