The Montreal Canadiens organization has added another name to its pipeline, with the Trois-Rivières Lions confirming the return of defenseman Jake Gravelle.
Gravelle, a 26-year-old left-shot defenseman, is back with the Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate as the club continues to shape its roster for the 2026-27 season. His return adds to the organization’s depth and puts him on the list of players who could be in the mix for Montreal Canadiens training camp in September.
After arriving midway through last season, Gravelle is now set to spend a full year in a Lions uniform. He played 28 games in the Elite Ice Hockey League this season before coming back to Canada on February 5, then suited up for 26 games with Trois-Rivières. In those 26 contests, he produced nine points, including three goals, and finished with a strong +13 rating.
Before turning pro, Gravelle spent four years at Western University, where he put up 74 points in 84 games. His university résumé also came with hardware: he was named the OUA West Division’s top defenseman in 2022-23 and later earned a spot on the OUA Second All-Star Team in 2024-25.
A native of North Bay, Ontario, Gravelle came up through the OHL with Mississauga and Hamilton. In 130 OHL games, he recorded 38 points and 117 penalty minutes.
"I'm really excited to be back in Trois-Rivières this season. Even though I arrived late last year, I absolutely loved my time here," he said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing our fans again. I can't wait to see you all very soon!" added the Ontario native.
He joins Anthony Beauregard, Mathias Laferrière, Landon Fuller, and Édouard Charron among the players already confirmed for next season. Under Ron Choules, the Lions are slowly taking shape for 2026-27, one piece at a time. A full training camp will give Gravelle the chance to prove he can be more than a simple depth addition.
In Other News...
Canadiens Still Have A Real Shot At The Center They Need
The Canadiens are still searching for the kind of center who can match their young core and help push the team deeper into the postseason picture, which is why Dylan Larkin keeps coming up as a name worth watching. Detroit has not moved him despite his trade request earlier this year, and his no-trade protection has made any possible deal complicated from the start.
Montreal would make sense if Larkin ever broadens the list of places he is willing to go, because the fit is obvious enough to keep the idea alive around the league. For now, the question is whether that door has opened at all, and until it does, the Canadiens can only stay ready and hope the situation shifts in their direction. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Finally Give Martin St-Louis The Bench Help Fans Wanted
Martin St-Louis is getting a more experienced bench partner as the Canadiens look to strengthen the coaching side around him. Montreal has moved to add a veteran assistant after the opening was created when Jim Hiller did not retain Derek Lalonde on the Maple Leafs staff, giving the Canadiens a chance to bring in someone with a long track record behind an NHL bench.
Lalonde arrives with championship pedigree from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was part of a staff that reached the leagues biggest stage year after year. For a Canadiens team trying to give St-Louis the support fans have wanted, the move adds a proven voice and a steadier hand to a coaching setup that should look a little deeper now than it did before. [Read more 🡒]
