The Montreal Canadiens have announced their opening-night roster. There are 24 players remaining in the NHL, with David Schlemko being exempt from the 23-man limit after being placed on the Injured Reserve list.
That move allows for an extra defenceman to stay with the team to start, to go along with the additional defenceman the Habs have on the roster compared to the usual complement of seven. Even with nine blue-liners on the books, and Shea Weber’s contract occupying a significant chunk of the available space, the defence corps comes it at less than a third of the upper limit of $75.