Kent Hughes added an intriguing name to the Canadiens’ blue line pipeline at the NHL Draft, and Timofei Runtso already knows the kind of player he wants to become.
The defenseman taken 57th overall is looking straight at Mikhail Sergachev as his model. Runtso isn’t shy about it, either. He wants to build a game that mirrors Sergachev’s style, and the connection goes beyond hockey: both players speak Russian.
Runtso speaks the language fluently, helped by summers spent visiting family in Belarus before the pandemic. That has already made his transition a little easier inside the Canadiens’ prospect circle, where he’s begun getting acquainted with the team’s Russian players.
"Zharovsky asked me a few questions.
It's helpful to have that, especially here."
For Runtso, though, the real story is how quickly his stock has risen. Not long ago, the California native was skating in the NAHL, a junior league below the USHL, and he was far from a widely known prospect.
Then came a breakout year in Victoria: 44 points, including 11 goals, in 68 games. That season changed everything.
Now he’s in the Canadiens organization and openly aiming to put on the Montreal sweater someday.
His path is also unusual away from the rink. Runtso is the son of Hollywood stuntman Andrei Runtso, whose work has appeared in films and series such as The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Jack Reacher.
With that background and his upside on the ice, Runtso has become one of the more interesting prospects in the Canadiens system.
In Other News...
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Andersons comments also land at a moment when Montreal is sorting out its next layer of leadership. With Gallagher gone, the Canadiens may need to look within for another alternate captain alongside Nick Suzuki, and Anderson is at least part of that conversation by reputation and presence. He is one of the players who can speak to what Gallagher brought every night, which is why his tribute carried extra weight for a locker room trying to absorb a familiar heartbeat being taken away. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To A Veteran Winger Fans Will Instantly Debate
A veteran winger is already popping up in early offseason chatter around Montreal, and the appeal is easy to understand. Marc-Olivier Beaudoin floated the idea of a low-risk addition for the 2026 summer, pointing to a player with size, proven scoring touch and enough experience to help stabilize a young forward group without forcing the Canadiens into a long commitment.
The discussion gets more interesting because of the potential fit with Ivan Demidov, a pairing that would give Montreal a mix of youth and polish on the wing. Beaudoin framed it as the kind of short-term move that could make sense if the price stays reasonable, but for now it remains nothing more than speculation, the sort of idea that will draw plenty of debate long before the Canadiens have to make any real decision. [Read more 🡒]