The Montreal Canadiens kept their depth-building push rolling with two more additions, as the club confirmed the signings of forward Samuel Poulin and defenseman Ethan Samson.
The news came through the Canadiens’ official page, and it arrived on a busy day for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, who had already announced the signings of Ivan Demidov, Kaapo Kahkonen and Alex Belzile. The pattern is clear: Montreal is adding young players who will likely be valuable for the Laval Rocket.
Poulin, 25, brings a bigger frame to the mix at 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds. The forward was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.
This season, he put up 29 points in 49 AHL games. In his NHL career, he has 2 points in 15 games.
Samson, meanwhile, is a 22-year-old right-shot defenseman who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round, 174th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. He finished this season with 14 points in 30 AHL games.
Neither move will draw the same headlines as Montreal’s bigger roster decisions, but both fit the same theme: Hughes is continuing to stock the organization with younger players and add competition across the lineup. For Laval, these are the kinds of signings that can matter quickly.
It will now be interesting to see how Poulin and Samson are used as the Canadiens map out their development plans heading into the 2026-27 season.
In Other News...
Canadiens New Defense Prospect Is Already Raising Eyebrows Inside The Organization
Timofei Runtso arrived in Montreal with the kind of profile that can make a draft room lean in a little closer. Taken 57th overall by the Canadiens, the defense prospect has already started settling into the organizations Russian pipeline, a useful early step for any young player trying to find his footing in a new market. He also comes with a clear sense of identity on the ice, with a style he wants to model after one of the more recognizable names to wear that position in recent years.
For Montreal, that matters because Runtso is not just another late-round flyer hoping to blend in and wait his turn. He has a background in the NAHL and has already shown he can adapt to a different level and a different environment, which is part of what makes him intriguing inside the organization. The next question is how quickly that comfort off the ice turns into traction on it, especially as he begins building relationships with teammates and carving out his place in a crowded development picture. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Anderson Honors Brendan Gallagher As Canadiens Lose A True Heartbeat
Brendan Gallaghers exit has left more than a roster spot behind in Montreal. Josh Anderson, whose own game has long been built on the same kind of straight-ahead competitiveness, made clear how much Gallagher meant to the Canadiens and to the city, praising the edge and persistence that defined his teammates time here. For a team that has leaned on veteran voices as much as on production, the loss of a player like Gallagher is felt in the room as much as on the ice.
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 🡒]