The Montreal Canadiens have gotten off to a busy start this week, announcing two new roster moves on Monday afternoon.
While sending defenceman Justin Barron down to the Laval Rocket, the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the team also placed rookie forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers.
Les Canadiens ont cédé le défenseur Justin Barron au Rocket de Laval et ont placé l'attaquant Mitchell Stephens au ballottage.
The Canadiens have loaned defenseman Justin Barron to the Laval Rocket and placed forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 22, 2024
Acquired by Montreal in a 2022 trade with the Colorado Avalanche, Barron, 22, has netted six goals and six assists over 41 games with the Habs this season.
Meanwhile, Stephens, who made his debut after being called up in December, is on a one-year, $775,000 contract with Montreal. He can be claimed by any NHL team over the next 24 hours.
With forward Tanner Pearson nearing a full recovery from injury, and defenceman Arber Xhekaj finding success in his ongoing AHL stint, some Canadiens fans have already begun speculating that the moves were made to free up space for their respective returns.
If that’s the case, Montreal’s lineup could look a little different for Thursday’s home game against the Ottawa Senators.