Canadiens' Logan Sawyer: Nabbed by Habs in Round 3
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Sawyer was the 78th overall pick by the Canadiens in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
Playing in the BCHL for a Brooks Bandits team that produced Cale Makar once upon a time, Sawyer had nine goals and 19 points in 20 games last campaign. He added seven goals and 15 points in a dozen playoff contests. Sawyer's game lacks pace, but he has legitimate offensive abilities. His next challenge will be to produce at a higher level. Sawyer is a 2025-26 commit to Providence College.
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Canadiens' Aatos Koivu: Legacy pick for Canadiens
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Koivu was the 70th overall pick by the Canadiens in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
You couldn't have written a better story. If the name looks familiar, yes, Aatos is the son of former longtime Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu. Koivu spent the majority of the year in the Finnish Jr. league (16 goals, 31 points in 28 games), but also got into three games with TPS' top team, no small feat for a kid who turned just 18 years of age a few days before the draft. Like his father, Koivu is a responsible two-way center with some size (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) and a big shot. Saku was playing NHL games for Montreal at age 21. Don't expect Aatos to follow a similar career path, but he makes for a nice depth acquisition for the Habs.
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Canadiens' Michael Hage: Game-breaker headed to NCAA
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Hage was the 21st overall pick by the Canadiens at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
Hage is a high-skill, right-shot center who has size, skill, speed and hockey sense who got off to a sluggish start to his draft season. Last July, his father died in a freak accident. That, and the fact he had played just 13 games the previous season after an injury that required surgery, contributed to a slow start to 2023-24. Hage regained his footing after Christmas, and he put up 51 points in his final 30 games. His game needs development, especially away from the puck, and he'll get it at the University of Michigan come September. Hage has game-breaking skill, and with the right development, he could be among the top pivots who emerge from this draft.
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Canadiens' Ivan Demidov: Game-changer falls to Habs at five
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Demidov was the fifth overall pick by the Canadiens in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
Demidov is an elite offensive talent who thrives in tight. His stickhandling rivals Mitch Marner's, and his shot and vision are already top-six ready. Yes, there's risk in his game, but that comes with all elite offensive teenagers. Demidov's skill and ability to think the game far ahead of the play makes him a potential play-driving top-line RW and he plays with an edge All of that means Demidov has the pieces to break the century mark in points a few seasons after he arrives in the NHL in a year.
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Canadiens' Lias Andersson: Signs in Switzerland
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Andersson signed a two-year contract with EHC Biel of the Swiss League on Thursday.
Andersson spent the 2023-24 season with AHL Laval, picking up 21 goals and 45 points in 53 games. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Andersson has played only 110 games at the NHL level since being drafted by the Rangers, scoring seven goals and adding 10 assists over that span.
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Canadiens' Oliver Kapanen: Inks entry-level contract
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Kapanen signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens on Saturday,
Kapanen was the final pick of the second round in the 2021 Draft. The 20-year-old spent the last two seasons with KalPa of the Finnish liiga and had 14 goals and 20 assists in 51 regular-season games in 2023-24 before exploding in the playoffs with seven goals and 14 points in only 13 appearances. Kapanen should spend the 2024-25 season in the minor leagues, likely with Laval of the AHL.
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Canadiens' Connor Hughes: Inks two-way deal
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Hughes agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with Montreal on Tuesday.
Hughes played in 19 games for Swiss club Lausanne HC last season in which he posted a 1.73 GAA and .940 save percentage while going 10-6-1. The 27-year-old backstop has spent the last seven years playing in Switzerland but is poised to return to North America and start with AHL Laval heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
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Canadiens' Jared Davidson: Inks two-year deal
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Davidson agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level contract with Montreal on Friday.
Davidson spent the 2023-24 season playing for AHL Laval on a minor-league-only contract, notching 11 goals and five assists in 38 games for the Rocket. Selected by the Montreal organization in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old center will likely need some more time developing in the minors before getting a chance to make his NHL debut.
Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle: Good to play for Team Canada
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Guhle, who missed the final seven games of the regular season due to a head injury, will join Team Canada for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.
Guhle finished the 2023-24 season with six goals, 22 points, 56 PIM, 116 hits and 178 blocks in 70 contests with Montreal. He served in a top-four capacity with the Canadiens, and the 22-year-old should act in a similar capacity for the franchise next campaign. In the meantime, Guhle will get in some extra high-level action during the international tournament before beginning his summer training.
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Canadiens' Adam Engstrom: Secures entry-level deal
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Engstrom agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with Montreal on Friday.
Engstrom saw action in 51 games for Swedish club Rogle BK in which he generated four goals and 18 assists before adding another four assists in 15 postseason contests this year. Even with his entry-level contract in hand, the 20-year-old defenseman is far from a lock to make the jump to North America next year and could spend another season developing in his native Sweden.
Canadiens' Jayden Struble: Reassigned to AHL Laval
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Struble was demoted to the minors Wednesday.
Struble saw action in 56 NHL games in his rookie campaign this year, registering three goals, seven assists and 120 hits while averaging 16:07 of ice time. Due to his limited offensive upside, the 22-year-old blueliner likely won't emerge as a viable fantasy option in 2024-25.
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Canadiens' Joshua Roy: Moved to minors
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Roy has recovered from his upper-body injury and was sent to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Roy hasn't played since March 19 due to the injury. He had four goals and nine points in 23 contests with the Canadiens this campaign. Montreal's season is done, so Roy will get the chance to see additional action in the minors. The 20-year-old has already supplied 13 goals and 32 points in 40 appearances with Laval in 2023-24.
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Canadiens' Logan Mailloux: Sent back to minors
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Mailloux was returned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Mailloux made his NHL debut against the Red Wings on Tuesday, recording one assist, two shots and one hit while logging 21:14 of ice time. With the Habs out of the playoffs, Mailloux will get at least two more games in the minors considering the Rocket have an outside chance of making the Calder Cup playoffs. Looking ahead to next season, Mailloux should be in contention for a spot on the Canadiens' Opening Night roster coming out of training camp.
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Canadiens' Justin Barron: Sent to AHL
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Barron was reassigned to AHL Laval on Wednesday.
Barron had seven goals, 13 points, 16 PIM, 61 hits and 59 blocks in 48 contests with the Canadiens this season. He has also provided two goals and 11 points in 30 outings with Laval. Montreal's campaign is over, but the 22-year-old should factor into the big club's plans for the 2024-25 campaign. Before that, though, Barron will need a new contract, because he's set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
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Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: Scores 20th goal of season
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Slafkovsky produced a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Red Wings.
The 2022 first overall pick shook off the bust label with a strong finish to the season that saw him collect seven goals and 19 points over the final 19 games. Slafkovsky played all 82 games for Montreal in his second NHL season and racked up an even 20 goals and 50 points -- the 20-year-old will be prominent on sleeper lists heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
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Canadiens' Cayden Primeau: Busy in Tuesday's shootout loss
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Primeau turned aside 36 shots in regulation and overtime and two of three shootout attempts in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Red Wings.
The 24-year-old netminder nearly stole a win for the Canadiens in their regular-season finale, but David Perron found a tying goal for the visitors with just five seconds left in the third period, and Patrick Kane was the only successful skater for either team in the shootout. Primeau gave up four goals or more in each of his last four starts this season while going 0-2-2, and he finishes the season with an 8-9-4 record over 23 outings with a 2.99 GAA and .910 save percentage. While he won't be the favorite, Primeau should head into camp next season competing with Sam Montembeault for Montreal's starting job.
