At this point of the offseason, the Montreal Canadiens have 11 forwards who are likely to be on their roster on Opening Night. That doesn't include Zachary Bolduc, who is still a restricted free agent but should sign with the Montreal Canadiens.
That means entering training camp, there really is one roster spot for the forwards up for grabs if the Canadiens go with 13 forwards or two if they elect to have 14 forwards and seven defensemen. The reason these spots are open is the Montreal Canadiens trading away Brendan Gallagher, but also Joe Veleno leaving in free agency.
Regardless of how many spots are available, the competition right now is probably between four players, with Sasha Pastujov being the latest to join. He just signed a one-year, two-way contract after the Canadiens traded with the Anaheim Ducks for him a few weeks ago.
Pastujov was a third-round pick by the Ducks in 2021 but has yet to make his NHL debut. He has spent four seasons, though in the AHL, and has played a total of 160 games with 48 goals and 77 assists. This past season was by far his best, and he finished with 21 goals and 36 assists in 71 games.
Who will Sasha Pastujov be competing with during Canadiens' training camp?
Pastujov will have a chance to compete for a spot on the Canadiens' roster this training camp but won't be handed that spot. He is going to have to beat out some other prospects currently with Montreal.
This group includes two prospects who have been within the organization for a few seasons now: Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck. If the Canadiens are looking to build depth for their bottom six, Xhekaj is probably the favorite, as he does all the little things that make a team successful, and that versatility is something coaches value.
Another player who will be competing for a roster spot is Owen Beck, who was a second-round pick in 2022 and has gotten a taste of the NHL over the past two seasons. In total, he has played in 27 games with one goal and one assist but hasn't really been able to establish himself as an NHL player.
The last player that Pastujov is probably competing with is Brett Berard, who finds himself in a similar position to Pastujov. The Canadiens traded with the New York Rangers for Berard earlier this offseason, and of the players in this group with the most NHL experience at 48 games.
In addition to his NHL experience, Berard has played in 145 games at the AHL level with 40 goals and 53 assists for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
This should be an interesting training camp battle to watch because this is probably the first time for all four players that they have a legitimate shot at earning a spot on an NHL roster to begin the season. The Canadiens have done a good job of creating competition for that spot, and it is now up to the players to deliver.
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