The Canadiens have been busy on the opening day of free agency filling out the Laval Rocket roster. The organization agreed to two-way deals with forward Samuel Poulin and defenceman Ethan Samson.
Les Canadiens s'entendent sur les termes de contrats d’une saison à deux volets avec l’attaquant Samuel Poulin et le défenseur Ethan Samson.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 1, 2026
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on one-year, two-way contracts with forward Samuel Poulin and defenseman Ethan Samson.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/hizNWRxlK3
Poulin was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2019 NHL Draft, but played just 15 NHL games in his time with the franchise before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers, finishing his 2025-26 season with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. He has been a consistent producer in the minors, with a pro-career high of 49 points last year.
Samson was a sixth-round selection of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021. He has never played an NHL game, but will only turn 23 in August. He was also traded by the organization that drafted him last year, finishing the final season of his entry-level contract with the Syracuse Crunch. He will be a welcome addition to Laval as a right-shot defenceman, a position the Canadiens have made a point to address this off-season to balance out a left-side heavy depth chart.
Both players will be expected to go on waivers ahead of the new season, looking to help the Rocket claim another post-season berth.
