The Canadiens made a quick pair of roster moves Wednesday, assigning forward Owen Beck and defenseman David Reinbacher to the Laval Rocket one day after their 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose.
Montreal hasn’t said those moves are tied to any incoming reinforcements, but the timing makes the question impossible to ignore. With Friday’s game in Chicago only two days away, the roster picture is starting to sharpen heading into the opening game of a four-game road trip.
Beck and Reinbacher were both brought up to help cover for absences, so sending them back to Laval could be a sign the Canadiens are preparing to get some of those missing players back. The team hasn’t confirmed that, though, and for now it remains a possibility rather than a certainty.
The clearest name to watch is Mike Matheson. He is still listed as day-to-day, though the team’s injury report says he’s expected to remain out until at least October 23, which is also the day Montreal plays in Chicago.
Matheson has already skated on consecutive days, including Tuesday morning at the Bell Centre, and the 32-year-old defenseman would be a significant lift for the blue line. He played 23:01 against Detroit before getting hurt.
The situation is murkier in goal. Samuel Montembeault is not expected back before October 25, and there has been no indication he’s ready to return yet.
Ivan Demidov and Florian Xhekaj are both listed as injured until at least October 31. Stu Cowan reported that Demidov is still wearing a walking boot, which makes a return against Chicago seem unlikely.
Montreal is 4-3-2 and allowing 3.8 goals per game, so the Canadiens could use some help on the back end. Reinbacher’s assignment to Laval doesn’t necessarily mean his next stop won’t be back with the big club; he logged 9:09 in his only appearance.
The Canadiens’ updates over the rest of the day should tell a fuller story. For now, the moves point toward a lineup that could be getting healthier soon, even if nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
“The Canadiens have loaned forward Owen Beck and defenseman David Reinbacher to the Laval Rocket.”
- Montreal Canadiens
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