Following Laval’s loss at the hands of the Marlies this week, the Habs were able to make their end-of-season ‘Black Ace’ recalls. It’s a smaller group than usual, with only four players getting the nod.
On the back end, Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher have been brought up. Reinbacher missed Saturday’s final game of the series with an undisclosed injury so it’s unclear when he will be able to suit up if needed. Meanwhile, up front, Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj have been recalled.
Engstrom saw the most action in Montreal this season, getting into 15 games where he had an assist while averaging 13:03 of playing time. He was on the roster for the first round but was sent down when Noah Dobson returned to the lineup. Engstrom played in 45 games during the regular season with the Rocket, picking up 10 goals and 24 assists.
The start to Reinbacher’s season was delayed by another injury in training camp but he was largely healthy after that (until Game 4 of the series against Toronto). He played in 57 games for the Rocket, notching five goals and 19 assists. The 2023 fifth overall pick played in the final two games of the regular season for the Habs, collecting his first point (an assist).
Beck also played in 15 games with the Canadiens in 2025-26, though he averaged just over nine minutes a game of ice time. He also scored his first NHL goal on three separate occasions, one getting called back for offside and another being changed to someone else before finally recording one that counted. It was his only NHL point of the regular season. Beck picked up 13 goals and 20 assists in 58 games in Laval and added five points in five postseason contests.
Xhekaj received his first taste of the NHL this season, tallying one assist in five games while averaging 9:36 per contest. He primarily played in the bottom six with the Rocket this season, potting 17 goals and 12 assists in 64 appearances.
Generally, teams will recall closer to eight players to be part of their reserve list but Montreal has opted for a shorter group for now. They can recall more if needed later on in the postseason. It’s unlikely that these four players will be in regular practices in Montreal but will skate separately from the main group to stay ready if they’re called upon to come into the lineup.