The roar of a packed Bell Centre fades into the tense silence of a third-period lead—every Montreal fan on edge, every coach decision magnified under the city’s relentless spotlight. But as the clock ticks down and the Canadiens cling to hope, two young faces on the bench sit in shadow, waiting for a call that never comes. The spotlight isn’t theirs tonight. Instead, a new storm brews just outside the rink, threatening to upend the delicate balance of Montreal’s roster and ignite a chain reaction that could send shockwaves through the locker room.

It’s not the usual headline. There’s no blockbuster trade, no injury crisis, no late-night controversy splashed across social media. But in the quiet moments between shifts, a subtle drama unfolds—one that could change the fate of two promising careers before the next home game even begins. The Canadiens, battered by injuries and desperate for reliability, are circling around a name that’s suddenly everywhere: Samuel Blais. And if you blink, you might miss the moment everything changes.

Look closely at the numbers, and you’ll see the cracks forming. Jared Davidson, fresh from Laval, barely sees the ice in Utah—just nine shifts and five minutes to prove he belongs. Florian Xhekaj, another Rocket hopeful, hovers around nine minutes, his impact muted by the coach’s cautious strategy. In the high-pressure world of late-game defense, trust is earned, not given. And right now, neither Davidson nor Xhekaj is holding the keys.

Enter Samuel Blais: a player whose resume reads like a checklist of everything Montreal needs. Size, experience, grit, and a Stanley Cup ring—Blais brings 265 NHL games, playoff pedigree, and a proven ability to thrive when the stakes are highest. He’s not just another call-up; he’s a potential game-changer lurking in the shadows, waiting for his cue. The front office has set the stage with a contract that’s low-risk and cap-friendly, and thanks to a little-known clause in the collective bargaining agreement, Blais can move between Montreal and Laval with unprecedented flexibility.

His numbers with the Rocket are impossible to ignore: two games, four points, a +5 rating, and a shootout heroics that left fans buzzing. It’s the kind of performance that forces coaches to rethink their lineups and analysts to whisper about imminent change. TVA Sports has already lit the fuse, hinting that Blais’ call-up is not just likely—it’s inevitable.

But what does this mean for the Canadiens’ youth movement? Will Davidson and Xhekaj be sent back to Laval, forced to regroup and fight for another chance? Does Blais’ arrival signal a shift in philosophy—a move toward proven reliability over raw potential? Or is there a deeper story behind the scenes, one that only becomes clear when the team returns home and the roster decisions are made?

The answers are coming, but for now, the suspense is real. In a season defined by uncertainty, the next 48 hours could decide whose dreams survive and whose are put on hold. Stay with us as we unravel the drama, decode the numbers, and reveal why Samuel Blais might be the Canadiens’ most important move yet.

Florian Xhekaj and Jared Davidson

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

In his latest column, Jonathan Bernier was clear when he wrote that the Canadiens “will need Samuel Blais” upon returning from the Western road trip.

He directly puts the spotlight on Jared Davidson and Florian Xhekaj, two young players called up from the Rocket who are struggling to earn the bench’s trust in tight late-game situations.

We can also see it in the recent numbers. Davidson spent just over five minutes on the ice during a game in Utah, in only nine shifts, while Xhekaj hovered around nine minutes of ice time. To protect a lead with a medical room filled to the brim, it’s not ideal for a coach.

In contrast, reclaimed off waivers last week, Samuel Blais arrives with a resume that speaks for itself. The 29-year-old left winger from Montmagny stands 6-foot-2, weighs 206 pounds, and now has 265 NHL games under his belt, with 28 goals, 46 assists, and 74 points, along with a -8 differential. He also carries a Stanley Cup ring in his bags and roughly thirty playoff games. Signed on July 1 by Kent Hughes for one year and 775,000 dollars, Blais represents a low-risk bet.

Thanks to a specific article in the collective bargaining agreement, the Canadiens can move him up and down between Montreal and Laval for 10 games or 30 days without putting him back on waivers, and his salary is fully buried in the cap when he is with the Rocket.

This season, he has already played 8 NHL games, with 1 goal, 2 assists, and 3 points, along with a -2 differential, before his stint in Laval. We’re talking about a veteran still in the rhythm of the big league, not a player being pulled out of mothballs.

Everything points toward Samuel Blais as the next Canadiens call-up, and a TVA Sports analyst just lit the fuse.

And his start with the Rocket is anything but timid. In just two games, Blais shows 2 goals, 2 assists, and 4 points, with a +5 differential and 2 penalty minutes. On Saturday, he scored two goals in regulation before giving Laval the win in the shootout, just to remind everyone he likes big moments.

In that context, adding a proven forward at 775,000 dollars who can play physical and absorb tough minutes without hurting the salary cap looks like a gift from the sky. A call-up for Blais almost certainly means that a Davidson or a Xhekaj will head back to Laval to play big minutes with the Rocket.

But between an ultra-green fourth line and a 29-year-old veteran with 265 games under his belt, the decision is starting to look like a formality.

At the pace the signs are piling up, if Samuel Blais is not called up as soon as the Canadiens set foot in Montreal, it will be more surprising than the opposite.