A fresh face has slipped into the Canadiens’ summer skate in Brossard, and it’s Samuel Poulin.
The newest signing from Kent Hughes joined the group on the ice this morning, skating with Ivan Demidov, Alexander Zharovsky, Jake Evans, Jayden Struble and Owen Beck. For Montreal, it’s another sign that the offseason work is already well underway before training camp even gets here.
Poulin, the son of former Canadiens forward Patrick Poulin, signed a one-year, two-way contract with the club on July 1. That deal gives him the chance to play in Montreal or with the Laval Rocket, and his early appearance in Brossard suggests he’s wasting no time trying to make his case.
That’s the kind of start you want from a player in his spot. He’s not waiting around for camp to open; he’s already in the mix, trying to get comfortable and make an impression.
The session itself had plenty going on. The skaters worked through different game situations, and one sequence in particular showed the group pushing the puck through the neutral zone at full speed before snapping off quick one-touch shots. It was a sharp little snapshot of the pace these summer skates can bring.
These aren’t official team activities, but they still matter. For a young forward on a two-way contract, every rep alongside NHL regulars is a chance to be noticed. And with the season not starting until late September, the race for an edge has already begun in Brossard.
In Other News...
John Marinos 8-Year Utah Deal Just Fueled Canadiens Blue Line Debate
John Marinos new eight-year extension in Utah adds another data point to the ongoing blue-line salary conversation around Montreal. At $6.75 million per season, the deal sits in the same neighborhood as several Canadiens defensemen and helps frame how different teams are valuing role, production and upside on the back end. Marinos contract also removes one more notable name from next summers unrestricted free agent market, narrowing the pool for clubs still looking for help on defense.
For Montreal, the comparison is especially useful because Kent Hughes has assembled a defense corps with a wide range of price points and responsibilities. Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson all occupy different tiers, and Marinos number only sharpens the debate over where the sweet spot really is for roster construction. It is the kind of contract that can make a teams own blue line look either disciplined or expensive, depending on how much value it gets from each role. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Add A Young Forward Who Could Climb Faster Than Expected
The Laval Rocket have added another young forward to their pipeline, giving a 23-year-old left winger a fresh chance to push his way into the American Hockey League picture. The move fits the kind of low-risk, upside-minded depth signing that can matter for a Canadiens organization always looking for players who can grow into larger roles if their development keeps moving in the right direction.
He already has a bit of familiarity with the Rocket after appearing in three games with the club last season, and his path has taken him through the QMJHL and ECHL before this latest step. A one-year two-way deal for the 2026-27 season gives him a clear runway to try to establish himself in Laval, with the next stretch of his career likely to determine how quickly he can climb from organizational depth to something more. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Finally Have A Real Answer At Center
The Canadiens have spent plenty of time looking for help down the middle, and the search keeps circling back to the same basic need: a center who can stabilize the second line without forcing the front office into a reckless overpay. Morgan Frost has emerged as an intriguing name in that conversation, with his contract viewed as manageable and the acquisition price expected to stay within reason, which matters for a team trying to improve without emptying the cupboard.
Frosts profile also fits the kind of move Montreal has been exploring, since he brings recent production and enough offensive touch to at least make the idea worth serious discussion. The question now is whether the Canadiens can turn interest into something more concrete while they keep sorting out the long-term picture at center, including the possibility of waiting on Michael Hage as part of the bigger plan. [Read more 🡒]