With training camp only a few weeks away, the Canadiens are close to having their roster set. But that doesn’t mean Montreal is finished looking for help. Professional tryout contracts can still matter, especially when a team wants a little extra competition in camp and some insurance for the grind of an 82-game season.
That’s where a few veteran names come into play for Montreal. The Canadiens already have solid depth, so there’s no need for a splashy move.
Still, inviting experienced players to camp on PTOs would give the club another look at possible depth pieces without any real downside. Three players stand out.
Mike Reilly is the most familiar option for Canadiens fans. He spent parts of three seasons in Montreal between 2017 and 2020, and while he never became a long-term regular on the back end, he showed he could handle NHL minutes and move the puck well. Since then, the veteran defenseman has gone from the Ottawa Senators to the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes, filling the same general role each stop: a reliable depth defenseman who can step in when needed.
That kind of profile makes sense for Montreal. The blue line looks fairly crowded already, with Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle, Alexandre Carrier, Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble expected to fight for ice time, while David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom are also in the mix for NHL jobs.
Even so, injuries are part of the deal over a long season. A PTO for Reilly would bring almost no risk.
If he earns a contract, the Canadiens get an experienced seventh defenseman who already knows the organization. If not, they can simply move on before opening night.
Adam Henrique is another name that fits the bill. Montreal lost some NHL experience among its depth forwards this summer, and Henrique could help replace that.
He has played well over 1,000 NHL games and built a reputation as one of the league’s most dependable two-way forwards. The offense is not what it used to be, but he can still win faceoffs, kill penalties and handle responsible minutes in a bottom-six role.
In that sense, he could fill a role similar to the one Joe Veleno had for Montreal last season.
Henrique would also give the Canadiens another option down the middle. Nick Suzuki and Phillip Danault are expected to take on the hardest assignments, while Jake Evans, Oliver Kapanen and Kirby Dach can all line up at center too.
Even with that group, another experienced center never hurts during camp. And beyond the ice, Henrique would add leadership to one of the NHL’s youngest teams.
Montreal’s roster is loaded with young talent, and veterans who know how to prepare every day can make a real difference in the room.
Then there’s Pavol Regenda, a 26-year-old winger still trying to lock down a full-time NHL role. He has spent the past several seasons bouncing between the NHL and American Hockey League, and last season he got into 24 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks. In those games, he scored nine goals and added an assist while bringing a physical edge.
At 6-foot-3, Regenda has the size and straightforward north-south style teams like in a depth forward. He’s willing to battle on the boards, and those are the kinds of details that often matter for bottom-six jobs.
He also fits the kind of player Martin St. Louis has tended to value: work ethic, forechecking and defensive responsibility.
Regenda has shown promise in those areas throughout his professional career.
PTOs don’t usually grab the spotlight, but they can still turn into useful additions over the course of a season. Montreal doesn’t need to chase major changes, but bringing a few experienced players to camp would create competition and could uncover a helpful piece without costing cap space or future assets.
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