The Montreal Canadiens clearly have depth on defence. Kent Hughes leveraged the situation to acquire Zach Bolduc from the St.Louis Blues for Logan Mailloux. If the roster stays intact through the preseason and injuries don’t change the picture, the seven defencemen on opening night should match our summer roster projection.
Five defensemen are expected to start the season with the Laval Rocket, and is worth watching closely as a potential first call-up to the NHL when needed.
Canadiens Candidate 1: David Reinbacher
In a perfect world, David Reinbacher gets plenty of ice time in Laval as he continues to adapt to North American hockey. In his first full year following his move from Switzerland, Reinbacher played in 24 American Hockey League (AHL) games, including the playoffs. A left-knee injury that occurred during a preseason game, prevented him from playing a full season.
When playing, the 20-year-old delivered solid breakout passes, and contributed in the offensive zone while remaining reliable in the defensive zone. Pascal Vincent trusted him with time on the power play and penalty kill units.
“He’s a young man with a great mindset and a great computer that reads the game really well. His hockey sense is really good. The way he skates is really good. Agility for a big guy like him is really good. Coachable, great teammate. A little bit more grit than I expected. I didn’t see him refusing hits to make plays,” Vincent said describing the fifth overall pick in 2023.
Adam Engstrom
Adam Engstrom wrapped up his first North American pro season with 27 points and a plus-14 rating over 66 games. He added five assists in 13 playoff contests with Laval. After a handful of AHL games, the 2022 third-round pick said the toughest part of the transition from European hockey was having less time to make decisions with the puck. As the year progressed, he looked more comfortable on the ice.
With Mailloux and Reinbacher amongst others on the roster, Engstrom received limited time on the power play. That is not concerning, as his profile is more appropriate as a penalty killer. And Vincent gave him that responsibility. Engstrom also was Reinbacher’s primary defensive partner during the year. His mobility along with Reinbacher’s ability to make the first pass out of the zone, made them a reliable duo.
Fans rarely bring up the 21-year-old in discussions about the Canadiens blue line, however management has noticed his progress.
“An under the radar player that doesn’t get as much attention is Adam Engstrom. He’s a very talented young man and his game came a long way this year, in terms of adapting to the North American style of play. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a Habs uniform sooner than people expect,” said Canadiens assistant general manager and Rocket general manager John Sedgwick in a recent interview on TSN 690.
Marc Del Gaizo
The Canadiens signed Marc Del Gaizo to a two-way deal for the upcoming season. The 25-year-old split last season with the Nashville Predators and their AHL affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals. During his 46-game stint with the Predators, Del Gaizo averaged 15:47 ice time and occasionally deployed on the penalty kill. He could be an early-season recall option if the Canadiens prefer to give Reinbacher and Engstrom more ice time in Laval before promoting them.
Nathan Clurman
Nathan Clurman is a long shot for an opportunity in Montreal. He played his first and only career NHL game last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 27-year-old inked a two-way contract for 2025-26, and is expected to spend the year with the Rocket in a shutdown role.
William Trudeau
William Trudeau joins Clurman as a long shot to play with the Canadiens. The 22-year-old tore a pectoral muscle during the fourth game of the second round playoff series versus the Rochester Americans and remains out indefinitely. His absence in the final games of their postseason run had an impact.
“[Trudeau] was good in the playoffs. His style of play fits the playoffs. I think there’s a chair for him in the NHL. It’s up to him to eventually leave his mark. He’s been [in Laval] a couple of years, but he’s a young player. The physical aspect that he brings is different than the majority of the players,” Vincent said at the conclusion of the season.
The Canadiens signed the defenseman to a one-year, two-way contract during the summer. In addition to his physicality, Vincent deployed him on the penalty kill and occasionally on the power play.
If you missed it, there’s also five Rocket forwards who can crack a NHL spot.
