NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens' offer rejected by ex-Laval Rocket D-man

Former Laval Rocket defenseman Matthias Notlinder, who is currently a free agent, has turned down a contract offer from the Montreal Canadiens. Gunnar Nordstrom of Expressen has reported that the offer was made over the weekend. That follows Norlinder’s decision to enter free agency in June.

The Canadiens selected Norlinder in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. In the 2023-24 season, he played for the Laval Rocket. He recorded two goals and seven assists over 50 games. Since arriving in North America in 2021, he has appeared in six games with Montreal and 123 with Laval.

MoDo Hockey, Norlinder’s previous team, wants to bring him back to Sweden. They started a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs. In just 10 hours, they raised over 400,000 SEK, or about $40,000.

Insider Szymon Szemberg tweeted:

"SHL-club MoDo has issued a crowd(fan)funding to be able to sign @RocketLaval Mattias Norlinder. So far more than 400'000 SEK, around 53'000 CAD has been collected."

Norlinder’s choice to turn down the Montreal Canadiens’ offer and MoDo Hockey’s quick fundraising hints that we might see him in Sweden for some time.

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Montreal Canadiens' top young prospects and key additions for future success

The Montreal Canadiens are building for the future with young talent. Juraj Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov are top prospects for the team. Montreal also has a strong group of young defensemen.

Top Prospects:

• Juraj Slafkovský: At 6'3", he has improved his playmaking and physical presence in his second NHL season. He has All-Star potential.
• Ivan Demidov: Known for his elite puck skills and creativity, he stood out in Russia’s junior league. His skating needs work, but his talent is clear.
• Kaiden Guhle: A solid top-four defenseman, Guhle is strong defensively and physical, though he lacks offensive contributions.
• David Reinbacher: His performance in Switzerland was inconsistent, but his AHL play suggests he could become a quality top-four defenseman.
• Lane Hutson: Known for his offensive skills and vision, Hutson is a dynamic college defenseman. His smaller size and defense are concerns.

Key players with potential:

• Michael Hage: A top USHL forward with potential.
• Cole Caufield: Already established in the NHL.

The Canadiens also have promising players like Justin Barron and Adam Engstrom. Goalies Jacob Fowler and Yevgeni Volokhin show promise but have challenges. Nevertheless, the Montreal Canadiens are setting up for a bright future with their young prospects.