Updated: Montreal Canadiens send Jean-Sébastien Dea back to Laval

Update: The Montreal Canadiens have sent Jean-Sébastien Dea back to the Laval Rocket. With news that Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, and Mike Hoffman have the green light to return to game action, Dea was no longer required at the NHL level.

The original recall article is below.

Jean-Sébastien Dea had been the last healthy NHL contract with the Laval Rocket but on Sunday, as both teams returned to the ice at practice, Dea was with the Montreal Canadiens. The team recalled the forward to the NHL taxi squad.

Dea’s recall means there are currently no players under NHL contract with the Rocket, who also practiced on Sunday. Both teams are scheduled to have their next game on January 12.

Dea has eight goals and four assists in 24 games in the American Hockey League this season. The 27-year-old Laval native has 33 NHL games over his career with the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Among players who hit the ice and are out of COVID-19 protocol are goaltender Jake Allen, Artturi Lehkonen, and David Savard. Injured players Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, and Cédric Paquette. In all 21 players were on the ice at practice on Sunday.

Of those players on the ice, Dvorak, Armia, Josh Anderson, and Mike Hoffman were in non-contact jerseys.