Canadiens defense rotation opens door for rookie Adam Engstrom

While Martin St. Louis rotated between Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj, Adam Engstrom was dressed for the Canadiens' last four games. And the Swede just surpassed the 15-minute mark for the first time in his career against the Flyers, stepping up in Mike Matheson's absence.

Although Struble was scratched against the Rangers on Dec. 13, and Xhekaj was left out against the Penguins and the Oilers on Dec. 11 and 14, Engstrom, 22, never came out of the lineup during this period.

What he brings is clearly valued by St. Louis. One might have found his profile as a fluid skater redundant, knowing that Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, and Matheson share that identity on the Canadiens, but that is not the head coach's view.

"To be an NHL defenseman and be effective, you have to be a pretty good skater," St. Louis emphasized after Thursday's morning practice. "If you're a bit less of a skater, you'd better have good hockey sense and good intelligence. There isn't just one way to do it, but you have to be able to kill plays."

"You can't have too many defensemen who are good skaters and can play both sides of the ice," St. Louis added.

Adam Engstrom's poise and pace make him a must-play for Montreal

Without even having to mention Engstrom, St. Louis delivered a clear endorsement regarding his importance and relevance in the group of six defensemen.

Engstrom deserves to keep playing for the Canadiens because his blend of game reading, skating, and positional versatility addresses immediate needs and elevates the team’s floor.

He has delivered clean, confident shifts at NHL pace — something St. Louis has openly valued — killing plays, making the first pass, and sustaining pressure off the blue line.

"He reads the game well," noted Lane Hutson on his part. "His game has a certain simplicity, but he still has a bit of offensive flair and a good shot. A really complete player, ultimately."

It should be expected that Engstrom will again receive a considerable number of minutes in the coming games, since Matheson will still be unavailable.

"I feel more and more confident and comfortable with each game," mentioned the young defenseman. "I handle the puck better, I make good plays. I want to build on that."