The second-last week of the regular season saw Laval taking on one of the top teams in the North Division for a pair of games. They managed a split and while that hurt their playoff chances, they still have a viable path to the postseason.
While it took a little longer than expected, the Habs announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed winger Luke Tuch to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will begin next season.
In news that should come as little surprise, the Habs announced on Friday that they’ve signed defenceman Lane Hutson to a three-year, entry-level contract. As expected, the deal begins this season so he’ll be eligible to play for Montreal down the stretch.
The home stretch of the season has arrived for the Rocket who had a pair of critical home games as they look to hold onto a playoff spot. They were able to earn a split which keeps them in a playoff spot for now but their grip on one is a little weaker now.
There was good news and bad news on Tuesday when it came to the Xhekaj brothers. The good news was for Florian as the Habs announced that they’ve signed him to a three-year, entry-level deal while the bad news is that Arber is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery on Wednesday.
Laval had a week where all three opponents were behind them in the North Division standings. However, they were only to win one of those matchups, resulting in a sizable blow to their postseason hopes.
While Laval still has plenty of work to do to lock down a playoff spot, they certainly bolstered their chances of reaching the postseason after picking up three crucial divisional victories in as many days last week.
The Habs elected to have David Reinbacher play in Switzerland this season before bringing him over to Laval earlier this week. But was that the most prudent course of action for the fifth-overall pick?
Laval took care of business early in the week but when it came down to trying to take down a team they’re chasing for a playoff spot, they instead turned in an ugly effort, losing some of the ground they had previously gained in the playoff chase.
With David Reinbacher’s season in Switzerland now over, many feel it’s only a matter of time before he joins Laval for the stretch run. But there is another option for him, bringing him up directly to Montreal.