Montreal Canadiens defenseman Gustav Engstrom‘s recall from the Laval Rocket signals a potential shift in โthe team’s defensive landscape, with a tradeโ appearingโ increasinglyโค likely, โฃaccording to recent reports. The Canadiens announced Engstrom’s promotion on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, ahead of their game against the โTampa Bay Lightning.
The move toโ bring up Engstrom, a 23-year-old Swede, โisn’t necessarily about his immediate impact on the NHL roster, but rather a strategic maneuver by โGeneral Managerโข Kent Hughes. With severalโ defensemen currently injured or underperforming, andโ the trade deadline rapidly approaching onโค March 8th, the Canadiens are likelyโค preparingโ to move a current roster player to address other team needs. This recall โคallows the team to evaluate Engstrom while together creating roster versatility forโข a potential trade.
Engstrom has โbeen a standout performer for the Rocket, registering 25 points in 52 games, showcasing his offensive capabilitiesโค from the blue line. Hisโค strong playโ in the AHL โhas earned him this chance and positioned him as aโ viable โoption should the Canadiens decide to part ways with a current defenseman.
Currently, the Canadiens’ โขdefensive corps includes veterans like Mike Matheson and David Savard, alongside younger players suchโ asโ Kaiden Guhle and Jordan Harris. โThe team has also beenโ dealing with โคinjuries to key players like โฃNathan Beaulieu, creating โฃa need for depth.โข Hughes has openly discussed the possibility โof making moves to improve the team’s future outlook, and aโ trade involving aโ defenseman would align with thatโค strategy.
The Canadiens face โthe Tampa Bay Lightning,Toronto Maple โขLeafs,Utahโ Hockey Club,Vancouver Canucks,Vegas โขGoldenโ Knights,Washington Capitals,and Winnipeg Jets in the coming weeks,providing opportunities to assess Engstrom’s NHL readiness while navigating the trade market. The โคnext week will be โcritical as Hughes weighs his โoptions and aims to solidify the โฃCanadiens’ roster โคfor both the present and the future.