As the 2025‑26 NHL season draws to a close, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves at a crossroads defined by two veteran forwards whose contracts are set to expire.
Phillip Danault, who arrived from the Los Angeles Kings, has cemented his reputation as a reliable penalty‑kill specialist and one of the league’s most efficient faceoff men, winning 54.8 percent of his draws in the regular season and boosting that to 58.4 percent during the playoffs.
Josh Anderson, meanwhile, brings a physical brand of hockey that has made him a fixture on the Canadiens’ first penalty‑kill unit for two seasons, his 129 regular‑season hits and 46 playoff hits underscoring a willingness to sacrifice the body for the team.
Both players are in the final year of contracts that pay Danault $5.5 million and Anderson a seven‑year deal worth roughly $30 million, figures that have sparked internal debate among management.
General manager Kent Hughes and head coach Martin St-Louis have indicated that the decision will hinge not only on these statistics but also on the development of younger talent such as Michael Hage, Owen Beck, Zachary Bolduc and Florian Xhekaj, who are expected to push for roster spots in the coming camp.
The coaching staff’s confidence in Danault’s faceoff prowess and Anderson’s gritty forechecking has kept them in the conversation, yet the emergence of players like Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki adds another layer of complexity to the roster planning.
From a business perspective, the club’s leadership will weigh the financial implications of extending both veterans against the cap space required to accommodate the next wave of prospects.
The Hockey News has highlighted the story, noting that the Canadiens’ approach could serve as a template for other teams balancing legacy players with emerging talent.
A pivotal juncture for the Canadiens
If the Canadiens choose to retain both Danault and Anderson, the team will likely retain a core of experienced penalty‑killers, which could translate into stronger special‑teams performance and greater stability in close games.
Conversely, a decision to let one or both walk could open opportunities for the likes of Kaiden Guhle and Max Domi to assume larger roles, potentially reshaping the club’s identity.
Whatever the outcome, the conversation reflects a broader trend in the NHL where teams must constantly negotiate the balance between honoring past contributions and investing in future competitiveness.