Struble has been a regular for the Canadiens this season, but heads to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old defenseman has five assists in 30 games this season. Adam Engstrom will draw into the lineup as Struble's replacement.
Jayden Struble will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Engstrom to re-enter the lineup against the Florida Panthers. The 22-year-old Engstrom is in his first NHL season and continues his search for his first career point through nine games.
After a rough start to the 2025-26 season with the Canadiens and a brief conditioning stint with the Laval Rocket (AHL), Montembeault returns for his first game with the Habs in three weeks. The 29-year-old goalie has an ugly 3.65 GAA and .857 SV% in 15 games this season (5-6-1). The team hopes the time off will help him return to the form that saw him earn a save percentage above .900 in the previous three seasons.
Fowler has helped his team collect a point in all but one game since making his NHL debut earlier this month (3-1-1) and will return to the crease on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 21-year-old rookie has a 2.40 GAA and .918 SV%, and he dazzled in his last two games (2-0-0), allowing only two goals on 59 combined shots (.966 SV%).
Evans suffered a lower-body injury last Saturday vs. the Penguins and is expected to miss at least one month. The void left by Evans' injury has been filled by Phillip Danault, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings the day before Evans got hurt.
Engstrom falls right back out of the Habs lineup after slotting in on Saturday. Jayden Struble will skate in his place.
Struble will slot right back into the Habs lineup after serving as a healthy scratch on Saturday. Adam Engstrom will sit in his place.
Pickford was drafted in the third round, 81st overall, by the Canadiens in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old defenseman is in his fourth WHL season and has 44 points (25G / 19A) through 31 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Danault had an extremely quiet season offensively, going goalless with just five assists in 30 games this season with the Kings. Danault, who is signed through 2026-27 with a cap-hit of $5.5M, reportedly expressed a desire to be traded and the Kings facilitated a deal in exchange for a 2026 2nd Round Pick. Danault returns to Montreal, where he played from 2016 to 2021.
In Montreal's final game before the Holiday Break, they will turn to the 21-year-old Fowler to tend the twine on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. Fowler has showcased mixed results early in his four-game NHL career (2-1-1), posting a 2.49 GAA and .915 SV%, but is coming off a stellar 31-save shutout, the first of his career, in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Evans suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday's game vs. the Penguins and did not travel to Pittsburgh for the second half of the home-and-home. With Evans out, Sammy Blais was recalled from Laval (AHL).
Blais has been recalled from the AHL because Jake Evans suffered a lower-body injury and is not expected to play on Sunday. Blais has nine points (3G / 6A) in nine games since joining Laval after being waived by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
