The Canadiens are in decline.
The Habs have lost two key forwards, Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach, in their last two games and could be in for some tough challenges in the next few weeks.
Moreover, Goulet's loss is starting to catch up with a club that has conceded 15 goals in its last three games.
Here is a list of tentative return dates for injured players.
Approximate return times #Habs injured players:
– Kirby Duch = after Christmas
– Kayden Goulet = first week of January
– Patrik Laine = end of February after the Olympic break
– Alex Newhook = mid-March– Priyantha Emrit (@HabsInHighHeels) November 16, 2025
If all goes well, the Habs could see Dach and Kaiden Guhle back again this holiday season.
Montreal will play 19 games before Christmas due to a condensed Olympic schedule and at least four injuries. That's almost a quarter of the season.
On top of that, there's a three-game road trip that will pit the team against the Mammoth, Golden Knights and Avalanche in the same sequence.
Moreover, the Canadiens face a particularly difficult period for the team, playing 13 games in 22 days in December before the holiday break.
That's a lot of hockey.
Then, even if Duch returns to action shortly after Christmas, the Habs have five games on the road, two games in Florida in late December and stops in Carolina, St. Louis and Dallas to start 2026.
Goulet's return could really help the club in the final three games of this trip if he can return to action.
This will be a big test for the Habs team, who are experiencing their first difficult minutes of the year not only in the hospital, but also on the ice.
However, it is also an opportunity for a young team to gain experience in adversity and learn to win by working hard rather than relying solely on their talent.
Let's just say that even if the Habs are unlikely to get as many wins as they did at the start of the season, the most important thing will be to limit the damage and bad sequences as they are doing at the moment.
In Newhook's case, he won't return until March and will only be able to help the club in the latter stages of the campaign.
There is also the question of whether Kent Hughes will look for reinforcements on the open market. A forward who could make up for some of the absences of Dach and Newhook would be an interesting piece to finish the season and make the playoffs.
And I know I didn't mention Patrik Laine, but that's not an oversight.
After a while
– Go as you go!
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Alouettes pic.twitter.com/UuopVZEqEz
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 16, 2025
– Whitewash for Jacob Fowler.
Final score
Final scorepic.twitter.com/0MwCuYqfTp
– Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) November 16, 2025
– Briefly about MLB.
Wants to be ready by 2026. https://t.co/O7EjzD8wtD
– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) November 16, 2025
– When will the team be in Quebec?
Expansion, but not in the US, says Commissionerhttps://t.co/4B8pkXXAS8
– RDS (@RDSca) November 16, 2025
– Great story.
The Carabins' centre-backs have been under scrutiny since the start of the season. playoffshttps://t.co/IsMpURum7H
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) November 16, 2025
“They have little room to maneuver.”
David Pagnotta: Re Leafs: They need more [cap space] are they going to make a shock move, so the names Domi and Carlo are known; they'll have to get a little creative – The Sheet (11/14)
– NHL Rumors Report (@NHLRumourReport) November 16, 2025
