Minnesota defenseman Luke Mittelstadt (20) in the third period during the first round of the NCAA college hockey tournament on Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Fargo, N.D. Massachusetts won 5-4 in overtime. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

By The Canadian Press

Canadiens sign Mittelstadt to entry-level deal, make minor trade with Senators

Mar 13, 2026 | 10:50 AM

BROSSARD — The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenceman Luke Mittelstadt to a two-year, entry-level contract, the NHL club announced Friday.

Mittelstadt also signed a one-year, one-way American Hockey League contract and will join the Canadiens’ affiliate, the Laval Rocket, for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

The 23-year-old had 21 points (two goals, 19 assists) in 36 games for the University of Minnesota Gophers in the NCAA this season.

His goals, assists and points led all Gophers defencemen, in addition to being career highs.

Mittelstadt, one of three players to serve as team captain this season, concluded his NCAA career with 80 points (11 goals, 69 assists) in 152 games with the Gophers.

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The Eden Prairie, Minn., native was selected by Montreal in the seventh round (197th overall) of the 2023 NHL draft.

Later Friday, the Canadiens traded forward Riley Kidney to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for goalie Hunter Shepard and forward Jake Chiasson.

Kidney, a second-round draft pick in 2021, has 11 goals and 22 assists in 46 games with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivières Lions this season.

Shepard, 30, has a 6-7-2 record in 15 AHL games this season. The 22-year-old Chiasson had one assist in 20 games this season with the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2026.

The Canadian Press