Canadiens call up 4 players after dominant Game 3 win vs. Sabres

The Montreal Canadiens are fresh off a commanding 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference second-round series on Sunday night, and they’re adding a couple of fresh faces as the run continues.

“The Canadiens have recalled Owen Beck, Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher and Florian Xhekaj from the Laval Rocket as black aces for the playoffs,” the team announced on Monday.

Montreal’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Laval Rocket, were ousted from the Calder Cup Playoffs, falling in a decisive fifth game against the Toronto Marlies in the North Division Semifinal.

The reinforcements will help shore up the depth both offensively and defensively as the team continues pushing toward an Eastern Conference Final appearance.

After losing Game 1, the Habs have triumphed in back-to-back contests, outscoring the Sabres 11-3 in that span.

All four of the callups are under 23 years of age, and are expected to be important pieces of the Canadiens’ lineup in the future. Beck and Engstrom were drafted in 2022, while Reinbacher was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Xhekaj, the younger brother of Arber Xhekaj, was selected in the fourth round in 2023.

Barring an injury, it’s unlikely that any of the four players will be options for this series. Still, adding them to the roster gives coach Martin St. Louis even more options as the postseason rolls along — and all four have played NHL games this year.

Engstrom is probably the most ready to jump into the lineup; the 22-year-old managed 10 goals and 34 points in 45 games for the Rocket in 2025-26. The defenseman also suited up for 15 games with the Canadiens, chipping in one assist.

Reinbacher played in two games with Montreal this season, managing an assist of his own. He went for 24 points in 57 games in Laval. As for Beck, he appeared in 15 NHL games; the 22-year-old had 44 points in 64 games as an AHL rookie, and added another 33 points this year.

Xhekaj suited up for five games with the Canadiens in 2025-26, and is one of the organization’s faster-rising prospects. He was a point-per-game player in the Ontario Hockey League, and scored 29 points in 64 games for the Rocket this season.

All four players are en route to Montreal, and it’s not impossible that one or more could make their Stanley Cup Playoff debut this spring.

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