Sending Joshua Roy to the Laval Rocket on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens were expected to make a recall ahead of their game versus the New York Islanders on Thursday. The decision was to bring up Lucas Condotta from the AHL.
Montreal had played the previous game with a rotation of just three centres, so a centreman was the obvious choice for the next call-up. Despite playing mostly on the wing, Condotta does have experience playing the position, and will be expected to start in the middle of Montreal’s fourth line tomorrow.
Condotta played all 72 games last season and 37 of Laval’s 38 this season, a fixture in the minor-league lineup. This year he has 13 points in 37 games, two of them coming in Wednesday’s win over the Utica Comets.
Condotta got into his first NHL game last season with Montreal, scoring a goal on April 13, 2023 versus the Boston Bruins.
With the focus of the organization seeming to shift to strengthening the AHL club in the past week after three losses by the NHL team, this recall will help stabilize the Habs while not removing a top player from Laval as the team rides a 10-game points streak.
