The Canadiens have signed Caneron Hillis to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Montreal selected Hillis in the third-round of the 2018 draft. The 19-year-old centre finished his third-year with the Guelph Storm first on the team in assists (59), second in points (83) and third in goals (24) in 62 games.
The Canadiens have agrred to terms with Alexander Romanov on a three-year, entry-level contract.
Romanov was selected in the second-round (No.38 overall) in 2018 and is expected to make the leap into the NHL in 2020-21. The 20-year-old Russian blueliner has spent the last two seasons in the KHL, where he's played a limited role and tallied just 11 points (1G / 10A) in a combined 86 games for CSKA Moscow. However, while playing against players his own age in the 2019 and 2020 World Juniors, Romanov had two goals and 12 assists (14 points) in 14 games. Due to the current pause of the NHL season, the start date of the contract has yet to be determined.
The Canadiens have signed Arsen Khisamutdinov to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Khisamutdinov was a sixth-round pick of the Canadiens in the 2019 NHL draft. The 22-year-old centre spent the 2020 season in the KHL, where he had just one goal and two assists (three points) in 31 games with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik.
The Canadiens signed Vasili Demchenko to a one-year, $700K contract.
Demchenko was an undrafted free agent goalie out of the KHL, who 9-17-3 with a .908 SV% in 36 games between Chelyabinsk Traktor and Magnitogorsk Metallurg. With Carey Price, Charlie Lindgren and Cayden Primeau all already under contract, Demchenko will likely start in a time-share in Laval (AHL) in 2021.
The Canadiens signed Laurent Dauphin to a one-year, two-way contract extension.
Dauphin is a former second-round pick, who has appeared in 35 career NHL games to-date. The 25-year-old spent all of 2019-20 in the AHL, compiling 14 goals and 17 assists (31 points) in 58 games with the Milwaukee Admirals and Laval Rocket.
The Canadiens signed Jesse Ylonen to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Ylonen was selected in the second-round in 2018 and picked up 12 goals and 10 assists (22 points) in 53 games with the Pelicans of the Finnish Elite League. The 20-year-old winger will likely report to Laval (AHL) when he comes to North America.
The Canadiens signed Gustav Olofsson to a one-year, two-way contract.
Olofsson spent most of the 2019-20 season in the AHL, where he racked up 16 points (1G / 15A) in 57 games with Laval. He failed to record a point in three games with Montreal. The 25-year-old blueliner has 11 assists in 59 career NHL games with the Wild and Canadiens.
The Canadiens signed Alex Belzile to a one-year, two-way contract on March 19th.
Belzile is in his second season with Laval and earned an NHL-level contract after registering 14 points (7G / 7A) in 20 AHL games. The 28-year-old centre has recorded 132 points (54G / 78A) in 239 AHL games and 169 points (62G / 107A) in 168 ECHL games since turning pro in 2012-13.
Tatar is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
Tatar was originally labelled as day-to-day with an upper-body injury that he suffered on March 3rd but announced that he's out indefinitely on Tuesday. The most recent timetable could end Tatar's 2020 season.
Source: John Lu 03/11/20, 12:46 pm EST
Goalie Start
Price will start Tuesday vs. the Predators.
Price allowed four goals on 23 shots in the Canadiens loss in Tampa Bay last Thursday. Charlie Lindgren gave him the night off on Saturday, so Price comes into Tuesday's meeting with the Predators well-rested. Price has lost three of his last four starts (1-2-1) with a 3.49 GAA and .876 SV%. Tonight he faces a Nashville team that is 5-3-0 while scoring 2.50 goals per game in their last eight games.
Source: John Lu 03/10/20, 12:48 pm EST
Gallagher (illness) will return to the Canadiens lineup on Saturday.
Gallagher missed Thursday's game in Tampa Bay but will play tonight in Florida. Gallagher has scored three goals with three assists (six points) in his last six games.
Source: Stu Cowan 03/7/20, 2:19 pm EST
Goalie Start
Lindgren will start Saturday in Florida.
Lindgren allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Canadiens win over the Hurricanes on February 29th. Lindgren is 2-3-0 with a 3.37 GAA and .884 sV% in his first five NHL starts this season and will get another start tonight in Florida. Tonight he faces a Panthers team on a four-game losing streak and 1-4-2 while scoring just 2.14 goals per game in their last seven games.
Goalie Start
Price led the Canadiens onto the ice for warmups.
Price allowed two goals on 22 shots in the Canadiens win over the Islanders on Tuesday. The win snapped a brief two-game losing skid for Price, who will make his league-leading 57th start of the season tonight. He has gone 0-3-0 with a 3.45 GAA and .867 SV% in his first three starts against the Lightning this season.
Gallagher (illness) will not play Thursday in Tampa Bay.
Gallagher (illness) will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
Gallagher missed the morning skate with an illness and is a game-time decision tonight in Tampa Bay. The Canadiens are already without Tomas Tatar (upper-body) so they will dress seven defensemen if Gallagher can't play.
The Canadiens recalled Lukas Vejdemo from Laval (AHL).
Vejdemo has picked up 19 points (9G / 10A) in 46 AHL games this season but has no points in his first four career NHL games. With Tomas Tatar dealing with an upper-body injury, Vejdemo returns to the AHL where he will likely slot in on the fourth line on Thursday.
Tatar (upper-body) is not expected to play on Thursday.
Tatar suffered an upper-body injury early in Tuesday's game against the Islanders and is not expected to play in Tampa Bay. Artturi Lehkonen moved up to the top line after Tatar got hurt and Lukas Vejdemo was recalled from the AHL to take his spot in the lineup.
Goalie Start
Price will start Tuesday against the Islanders.
Price allowed four goals on 34 shots in the Canadiens loss to the Rangers on Thursday. Price has had identical results in back-to-back games, giving up a combined eight goals on 68 shots (.882 SV%). After getting Saturday night off, Price will face the Islanders for the second time this season on Tuesday. He made 21 saves in 4-2 win in the first meeting (Dec.3).
Source: Stu Cowan 03/3/20, 1:57 pm EST
Petry (undisclosed) is expected to play on Tuesday.
Petry missed Monday's practice but travelled to New York and head coach Claude Julien expects him to play vs. the Islanders. Petry has played well recently, scoring two goals with two assists (four points) in his last six games.
Goalie Start
Price is expected to start Tuesday against the Islanders.
Price allowed four goals on 34 shots in the Canadiens loss to the Rangers on Thursday. Price has had identical results in back-to-back games, giving up a combined eight goals on 68 shots (.882 SV%). After getting Saturday night off, Price will face the Islanders for the second time this season on Tuesday. He made 21 saves in 4-2 win in the first meeting (Dec.3).