Canadiens make an immediate roster move after reclaiming Samuel Blais

Montreal was the only team to submit a claim, a crucial detail that allowed the club to pick him up without any battle. Since he is returning to his original organization and no other team put in a claim, Blais was sent directly to the Laval Rocket.

Here is Marco D'Amico's explanation:

Blais, 28, has played 265 NHL games with 28 goals and 74 career NHL points. This season, he has 3 points in 8 games. For a depth player, that's solid production and gives a bit of breathing room to an organization looking to stabilize its forward rotation.

Toronto was forced to place him on waivers due to players returning to their lineup, including Auston Matthews, Nicolas Roy, and Matthew Knies. The Canadiens jumped on the opportunity and, within minutes, several insiders confirmed the information.

It's the kind of moment that clearly shows Kent Hughes does not hesitate to act when a door opens. The Rocket therefore receives immediate reinforcement. Blais will be able to play quickly, which comes at a good time as Laval looks to maintain its pace in an ultra-competitive division.

The club wants to hang onto its momentum, and a veteran like him can stabilize a locker room as soon as he arrives. In the short term, it also gives the Habs a useful buffer if an injury occurs.

Another key point in all this is that Montreal retains important flexibility. The loan to Laval does not close the door on a quick recall if the situation changes for the Montreal Canadiens.

This well-calculated move once again shows that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton use every waiver rule to maximize the organization's depth.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming days. Montreal wanted experience and consistency. In my opinion, Blais brings both. A small pickup, but an immediate impact.