Montreal Canadiens: Rem Pitlick recalled to add depth to forward core

The Montreal Canadiens will be without veteran forward Jonathan Drouin for an extended period of time. He was labeled to be out for 4-to-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. From the sounds of it, Drouin will not be back until the calendar flips over to 2023, if it’s on the longer side of things for his absence.

With Drouin on the Injured Reserve (IR), it means that there was a roster spot freed up, as the Montreal Canadiens continue on with their 2022-23 season. They recalled Rem Pitlick from Laval Rocket, bumping him up from the AHL roster.

Montreal Canadiens add forward depth after recalling Rem Pitlick.

He practiced with the team Wednesday after being recalled as the extra forward. He worked in on the fourth line with Juraj Slafkovsky and company. Pitlick has been in limbo between the AHL and NHL levels after being waived just over a week ago.

Another IR move was the cause of Pitlick being waived and sent to Laval. Evgenii Dadonov was placed on the IR with an illness and ultimately missed some time while battling that. As it came time for him to return, the Habs had to juggle the roster.

This is why Pitlick was waived amid the numbers game and roster juggle. He ultimately cleared waivers with no one taking a flier on the 25-year-old. The article above noted that Pitlick was able to pick up three assists in three games played with Laval.

The three assists with Laval were more than he has managed during his seven games with the Habs this season. Head coach Martin St. Louis said that he felt Pitlick was deserving of a roster spot but was a victim of the numbers game and roster crunch as he was demoted to the AHL level.

So the move to bring him back up should not be too surprising, even if he could be on his way back down once again in due time. With Michael Pezzetta still on the Habs roster, I’d think Pitlick will split time with him in the team’s bottom six.

The team is carrying thirteen forwards with eight defensemen. While Pitlick will not be the biggest difference-maker, it’s another move for the winger to try and latch on at the NHL level. In an interview, St. Louis categorized Pitlick as “trying to earn a jersey,” as he waived before, and now he’s back, earning his jersey again.