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Adam Engström: if he knows a big camp, he could force Kent Hughes to move
David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Adam Engström: if he knows a big camp, he could force Kent Hughes to move

Originally posted on Dose.ca  |  Last updated Sep 20, 2025 10:27 PM ET

While many were looking forward to watching David Reinbacher at the rookie and practice camps, the Swede showed great promise in the prospect face-off games. Engström has progressed very well since being selected in the third round, 92nd overall, in the 2022 draft. In his first season in North America, the defenseman scored 27 points, including five goals, in 66 games with a plus-14 rating with the Laval Rocket, and added five assists in 13 games during the AHL playoffs. He also added five assists in 13 games during the AHL playoffs. Engström has good skating and vision, which enable him to stand out both in support of the attack and in his own zone. He’s calm in his play and always well-positioned, which enables him to make the right decisions on the ice.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the 21-year-old defenseman fares in the Canadiens’ warm-up games. If Engström keeps up his momentum and performs well in these games, he could well come in and force the Habs’ hand, as Nicolas Cloutier discussed with Matt Ohayon on The Sick Podcast.

There isn’t really room right now with the team, but current management has shown us in the past that they’re willing to make room for a young player if he proves he’s ready to play in the NHL.

However, if the Canadiens decide to start the season with him in Montreal, the team has little choice but to make a trade, and I have a feeling that the player sacrificed could well be Mike Matheson.

Engström is a left-handed defenseman capable of being good in both zones and that’s kind of Matheson’s role with the Habs, so if the club can replace him with a younger, cheaper player on the third pair of defensemen, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kent Hughes make a trade to get rid of the veteran.

But it all depends on Engström’s performance over the next two weeks. spacer title=’Overtime’] – The starting eleven.

– Still, two Habs prospects in the Atlantic.

– Artemi Panarin on the market?

– Bad news

– Michael Hage’s little brother

This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

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