The Canadiens had a chance to dip into the waiver wire, but Kent Hughes chose not to take it.
Aatu Räty and former Canadien Alex Barré-Boulet both cleared waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman, and Montreal passed on claiming either player even with injuries piling up up front. Friedman said as much in two short posts, and both players are now free to head back to their respective organizations - Räty to the Vancouver Canucks and Barré-Boulet to the San Jose Sharks.
That decision fits the way Montreal is handling its forward situation right now: internally, not externally. The Canadiens could have taken a look at Barré-Boulet in particular, since the Montmagny native already has ties to the organization and once suited up for the Laval Rocket. Instead, the club appears to be working through its own depth chart.
Owen Beck is already in the mix after being recalled from Laval and getting into the lineup. Oliver Kapanen has skated two days in a row in Brossard and could be back Saturday, according to Maxime Truman. Ivan Demidov is also expected to return in about a week.
There’s room for more movement if needed. Florian Xhekaj is listed as day-to-day, which could open another door for call-ups if Montreal keeps getting hit with injuries.
On paper, both waived players bring something interesting. Räty has 29 points in 118 NHL games, while Barré-Boulet has 19 points in 72 career games and has also produced well during his time in Laval.
Still, with the Canadiens sitting at 3-3-1, the bigger question is whether either one would have moved the needle enough to justify the claim. That’s especially true with Alex Newhook managing just two points in seven games and Kirby Dach sitting on one assist in seven games.
For now, Montreal is betting that reinforcements are close. If Kapanen and Demidov take longer than expected to return, Hughes may have to revisit the market.
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