Adam Engstrom has earned his spot on the Canadiens’ blue line, playing all four recent games while coach Martin St. Louis juggled his other defensive pairings.
The 22-year-old Swede hit a career milestone against the Flyers, logging over 15 minutes of ice time as he helped fill the gap left by Mike Matheson’s absence.
While teammates Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj have taken turns watching from the press box, Engstrom’s steady play has kept him in the lineup.
“To be an NHL defenseman and be effective, you have to be a pretty good skater,” St. Louis explained after Thursday’s practice. “If you’re a bit less of a skater, you’d better have good hockey sense and good intelligence. There isn’t just one way to do it, but you have to be able to kill plays.”
Some wondered if Engstrom’s smooth skating style might be redundant on a team that already has Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, and Matheson. But St. Louis quickly dismissed those concerns.
“You can’t have too many defensemen who are good skaters and can play both sides of the ice,” the head coach said.
Engstrom’s game goes beyond just skating. He’s shown a knack for reading plays, making smart first passes, and keeping offensive pressure alive from the blue line – all while looking comfortable at NHL speed.
“He reads the game well,” teammate Lane Hutson said. “His game has a certain simplicity, but he still has a bit of offensive flair and a good shot. A really complete player, ultimately.”
With Matheson still sidelined, Engstrom’s ice time should stay high in upcoming games.
The young defenseman feels his game growing with each shift. “I feel more and more confident and comfortable with each game,” Engstrom said. “I handle the puck better, I make good plays. I want to build on that.”
