Habs Daily: New Lines And Pairings, Kreider Clears Waivers, Rookies
Here are the Montreal Canadiens and NHL news items you may have missed on Thursday.
Montreal Canadiens News
- The Habs held an intra-squad scrimmage on Thursday, featuring several changes to their traditional lines and pairings. Kirby Dach was used as the second-line centre, alongside Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook. Of course, since it’s still the pre-pre-preseason, we must take these combinations with a rather large grain of salt. [First Look At New Canadiens Lines And Defensive Pairings]
- Chris Kreider certainly isn’t a fan favourite in Montreal, due to the incident that injured Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs. However, he could still be of some use to the Habs, especially now that the Anaheim Ducks have terminated his contract. Kreider went through waivers, which means he’s not available to sign a new contract with any team he desires. As per usual, there are several important factors in play. [NHL Free Agency: Evaluating Kreider’s Potential Impact With The Canadiens]
- Laval Rocket head coach Daniel Jacob will be running the show at the rookie camp. He’s in the perfect situation to offer the type of insight necessary when evaluating young players who hope to one day earn a permanent job in the NHL, including Owen Protz. [Canadiens Top Prospects: Owen Protz Personifies Physicality]
Laval Rocket coach Daniel Jacob today on Owen Protz at Habs rookie camp:
“What I like the most about him is that he’s a great kid. He’s willing and eager to learn…We could tell, he would apply what he was told, and he tried. For me, that’s the biggest thing: being a good kid,… pic.twitter.com/Z7GqCRIeKy
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 10, 2026
- Protz was among the prospects who hit the ice early in Brossard.
C’est parti pour le camp des recrues du Canadien! 🏒👀⬇️
Tyler Thorpe, Owen Protz et Arseni Radkov, entre autres, sont déjà sur la glace ce matin à Brossard.@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #HabsProspect #Thorpe pic.twitter.com/ChAthFM387
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 10, 2026
- Meanwhile, Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck, and David Reinbacher were running drills with the main group of Canadiens players.
Tous les joueurs sont présents sur la glace ce matin à l’entraînement. 👀
Mike Matheson, qui avait patiné en solitaire au cours des deux derniers jours, est de retour avec ses coéquipiers.
David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom et Owen Beck font également partie du groupe.… pic.twitter.com/d3VxYnWuaJ
— Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) September 10, 2026
- Unsurprisingly, countrymen Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov are good buddies.
Matvei Michkov on his friend Ivan Demidov:
“This one is Vanya Demidov’s jersey. After our game when Philadelphia played Montreal, we exchanged jerseys. We’re really close, we talk a lot.” pic.twitter.com/Ic8RCxHVNG
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 10, 2026
- ICYMI: While there won’t be any blue-chip prospects at the Canadiens rookie camp, which is set to open on Friday, there are still a handful of players that are worth monitoring, including Owen Protz, Parker Trottier, and Tyler Thorpe. [Canadiens Rookie Camp Schedule And Players To Watch]
Sportsnaut Network
- The Toronto Maple Leafs hit the jackpot in May, winning the NHL’s Draft Lottery. After a dreadful season last year, they’re coming back this season with the top overall pick, Gavin McKenna, in tow. No one is ready to put unreasonable expectations on the kid, but NHL Network is certainly pumping his tires. They have named McKenna the best prospect in the league. [Toronto Maple Leafs]
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced the re-signings of three restricted free agents. Returning to the organization following the organization’s Stanley Cup Championship are forwards Skyler Brind’Amour and Justin Robidas, as well as former Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau. [Carolina Hurricanes]
- Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they had signed defenceman Mike Reilly to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850k at the NHL level, and $450k at the AHL level. The news comes at an interesting time, as they just added a veteran seventh defenceman this week in Pierre-Olivier Joseph. [Carolina Hurricanes]
