Canadiens Recall Owen Beck From Laval Rocket for Forward Depth

The Montreal Canadiens recalled forward Owen Beck from the Laval Rocket on Monday to add roster depth after injuries affected the lineup, with the 22-year-old joining the team before games against the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals.

According to Sportsnet, Beck was selected by Montreal in the second round 33rd overall of the 2022 NHL Draft and has appeared in 28 NHL games, recording one goal and one assist.

Beck began the season with Laval, where he had one assist and a plus-one rating through four games, according to the Canadiens coverage from Sportsnet. He recorded 13 goals and 20 assists in 58 AHL games during the 2025-26 season.

The recall followed Montreal playing with 11 forwards in its previous game, according to Habseyesontheprize. Florian Xhekaj remained day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov were unavailable.

Beck had previously returned to Laval after missing out on an NHL roster spot during training camp. The Montreal Gazette reported that he entered his third potential full AHL season determined to continue developing.

"I’m just ready to put the work in. I know there’s a good opportunity (here) and I like our team. It’s set up to be a positive year for me … whatever that looks like.

Obviously, the business is pretty fluid. Things move around all the time. You never know what can happen," Beck said.

The Canadiens prospect said he remained focused on improving after starting the year in the AHL. The Montreal Gazette reported that Beck can play center or wing and has contributed on the penalty kill.

"Obviously, it’s not ideal and there’s a lot of benefits from being in the NHL. You’ve earned (the promotion) and feel like you’re right there. I just try and stick it out and trust that all the work I put in today is going to work out and benefit me more in the future.

Spend a little bit more time in the oven and I think you come out the other side a bit better. That’s all I can focus on and try to keep a positive mindset. There’s always room to grow if I’m not there.

You could say it’s a numbers reason. I’m just going to try and motivate myself and say there’s more work to be done. Even the best players in the NHL say there’s always more to work on," Beck said.

Beck also addressed his place within the Canadiens organization after a roster decision favored Florian Xhekaj earlier in camp. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract and could become a restricted free agent next summer.

"I don’t want to use the term victim; that just sounds almost derogatory. They were one of the top four teams in the NHL last year. They have a very solid core.

Obviously, their cap situation’s incredible. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. I’m just there (if) my name’s called, and I’ll try to do the best things I can every day to maybe force their hand and put me there at some point.

I feel ready to jump in at that level. There are 31 other teams, but I’m with this organization. That’s the roster I’m trying to crack," Beck said.

Laval head coach Daniel Jacob said Beck returned to the Rocket motivated after the NHL roster decision. Jacob emphasized that the forward could use the situation as an opportunity to improve.

"Montreal did a good job, explaining to him (the decision). He came back with his work boots on, understanding that he’s close. He’s knocking at the door and is right there. We just want to reinforce the positive (aspects) with him," Jacob said.

Jacob said Beck’s response to disappointment would determine how he moves forward with Laval. The Rocket coach highlighted the importance of using frustration productively.

"If you’re mad knowing what you need to work on, it’s awesome. But if you’re mad just to be mad, at that point, it’s not going to get better," Jacob said.

The Canadiens entered the recall period with two wins and five points through five games, while preparing for a Tuesday home game against the Buffalo Sabres and a Wednesday matchup against Washington, according to Sportsnet.