The Montreal Canadiens are approaching a difficult roster decision on the blue line as defenseman Noah Dobson is expected to return from injury soon. Dobson, acquired from the New York Islanders in a trade, has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since early April 2026.
With Dobson's return, the Canadiens will have eight NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster, forcing general manager Kent Hughes to make a move. The team currently has a healthy blue line including Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, David Savard, Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, and Justin Barron, plus Lane Hutson who has impressed in his rookie season.
According to multiple reports, the Canadiens are exploring trade options to alleviate the logjam. Dobson, 26, is in the first year of a six-year, $29.1 million contract with an average annual value of $4.85 million. He recorded 10 goals and 42 assists in 72 games before his injury.
