The Montreal Canadiens have bolstered their goaltending depth and made a roster move involving forward Riley Kidney, the team announced Friday, March 13, 2026.
Montreal acquired goaltender Hunter Shepard and forward Jake Chiasson from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Kidney. The move comes as Jacob Fowler returns to Montreal, prompting the Canadiens to seek additional support in net.
Shepard, 30, has appeared in 15 games in the American Hockey League with Belleville this season, posting a 6-7-2 record. He also has a 2-3-1 record in six career NHL games with the Washington Capitals and the Senators. His most recent NHL appearance came on January 5th against the Detroit Red Wings, where he allowed two goals on 12 shots.
Chiasson, 22, has registered one assist in 20 AHL games this season with the Belleville Senators. He also spent time in the ECHL with the Allen Americans, where he recorded eight points, including two goals, in 16 games. Originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Chiasson will report directly to the Trois-Rivières Lions.
Kidney, a second-round pick by Montreal in 2021, hadn’t quite reached expectations since being drafted. The Nova Scotia native had been limited to just six games with the Laval Rocket this season, spending the majority of his time with the Lions de Trois-Rivières, where he amassed 33 points, including 11 goals, in 46 games.
In a separate transaction, the Rocket also announced they traded defenseman Ryan O’Rourke to the Belleville Senators in exchange for future considerations.
