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Montreal Canadiens rookie forward Owen Beck

The Montreal Canadiens are officially adding some extra depth for the biggest stretch of their season. Following the Laval Rocket’s tough Game 5 elimination against the Toronto Marlies, the Canadiens announced Monday that forwards Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj, along with defensemen Adam Engström and David Reinbacher, have all been recalled to the NHL club.

The four prospects will join Montreal as Black Aces for the remainder of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. The timing works out well for the Canadiens, who currently hold a 2-1 series lead after a dominant 6-2 win on Sunday night. With Game 4 set for Tuesday at the Bell Centre, it gives Martin St. Louis a few more options and a bit of insurance if injuries start piling up.

Bolstering the Blue Line

The additions on defence are probably the most interesting part of these recalls. Engström already showed earlier this season that he can handle NHL minutes, appearing in 15 games with the Canadiens. The 22-year-old was also Laval’s top-scoring defenseman during the regular season, putting up 34 points in 45 games.

His skating stands out immediately, and he plays the kind of puck-moving style that fits where the league is headed. Out of the four recalls, he feels like the most realistic option to jump directly into the lineup if Montreal needs someone.

Reinbacher is another big name returning to the group. The fifth-overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft missed Laval’s final playoff game with an undisclosed injury, but overall, his season was a pretty encouraging step forward. He finished with 24 points and a plus-18 rating in 57 games while looking more comfortable defensively as the year went on.

Even if he doesn’t play during this series, there’s still value in having him around the NHL group during a playoff run. Those experiences tend to matter later on, especially for young defencemen.

Reinforcements Up Front

Up front, the Canadiens are bringing in two completely different types of players. Beck brings more of the reliable, detail-oriented game. Xhekaj brings chaos.

Beck had a strong playoff run with Laval, recording five points in five games while continuing to show why coaches trust him in defensive situations. He already appeared in 15 games with Montreal this season and picked up his first NHL goal. His faceoff ability and overall reliability make him the kind of player who can slide into a bottom-six role pretty seamlessly if needed.

Then there’s Xhekaj, who has quickly become a fan favourite for the same reasons his brother Arber did. He plays a heavy game, isn’t afraid of anyone, and somehow still managed to score 17 goals while piling up 182 penalty minutes, which was one of the highest totals in the American Hockey League this season.

Against a Buffalo team that has made this series pretty physical already, having someone like Xhekaj available in the background probably doesn’t hurt at all.