Canadiens Sign Sasha Pastujov To One-Year Contract

According to a team announcement, the Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Sasha Pastujov to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 campaign. Montreal acquired Pastujov from the Anaheim Ducks a few weeks ago in exchange for forward Sean Farrell.

Pastujov, 23, was selected as the 66th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Ducks. He was playing for the United States National Team Development Program at the time, scoring 10 goals and 26 points in 18 USHL games with a +10 rating. He played an additional 41 games with the National U18 team, scoring 30 goals and 65 points, achieving a +20 rating.

Clearly, Pastujov’s offensive prowess was on display at an early age. Following his draft year, Pastujov joined the OHL’s Guelph Storm, finishing with 34 goals and 76 points in 65 games. He spent another season in the OHL, beginning with the Storm but finishing with the Sarnia Sting after a midseason trade. He improved upon his previous totals, scoring 41 goals and 98 points in 60 games.

Since then, it’s been all AHL for Pastujov. He’s continued to improve each season, but he quickly became blocked in Anaheim’s saturated pipeline. Last season, spent entirely with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, Pastujov finished first on the team in scoring after registering 21 goals and 57 points in 71 games with a +3 rating.

Unfortunately, earning a spot on the opening night roster won’t be any easier with the Canadiens. Assuming there are no injuries, Pastujov has no chance to secure a position in Montreal’s top six in a few weeks. However, given that Phillip Danault, Kirby Dach, and Josh Anderson are all unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2026-27 season, Pastujov may be better positioned next fall if he has another quality year in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.