yardbarker
The Montreal Canadiens announced Monday morning that they have inked defenseman Maksymilian Szuber to a one-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old, who was acquired earlier this offseason in a trade that sent forward Joshua Roy to the Utah Mammoth, was originally a sixth-round pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2022.
Szuber, a Polish-born German, has spent the past three seasons with the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL, where he has established himself as a reliable two-way defenseman. In the 2025-26 campaign, he notched career highs with 11 goals and 27 points across 65 games. Over his three-year AHL tenure, he has accumulated 200 games, 25 goals, 87 points, and a plus-13 rating.
His lone NHL appearance came on April 9, 2024, when he debuted for the Coyotes against the Seattle Kraken. Since then, he has not seen NHL action.
Key Analysis
Szuber is expected to bolster the Laval Rocket's blue line, filling the void left by William Trudeau, who was traded to the New York Rangers in June. At 6-foot-3 and 201 pounds, he adds considerable size to Montreal's organizational defensive depth. While he is likely to spend the entire season in the AHL, he could earn a call-up if injuries strike the Canadiens' defense corps during the 2026-27 campaign.
In a separate development, Canadiens prospect Vinzenz Rohrer is reportedly returning to Switzerland to play for EV Zug next season instead of joining the Rocket. The speedy forward, who has two years remaining on his entry-level contract, will be loaned to EV Zug for the second consecutive year, following a three-year stint with the ZSC Lions. The decision raises questions about whether this loan arrangement is optimal for Rohrer's long-term development.
Originally reported by yardbarker.