On June 29, 2026, the Montreal Canadiens traded Joshua Roy to the Utah Mammoth for defenceman Maksymilian Szuber. On August 3 they signed Szuber to a one-year, two-way contract for 2026-27.
Most Habs fans have never seen him play. This video is about what Montreal actually bought. Szuber was born in Opole, Poland, plays internationally for Germany, and was taken 163rd overall by Arizona in 2022. He had already played 37 games in the DEL, Germany’s top professional league, before his 20th birthday. He won a DEL championship with Red Bull München in 2022-23, and at 20 he was on the German team that took silver at the 2023 World Championship in Tampere, Germany’s first medal at that tournament since 1953. He has 200 AHL games and 87 points with the Tucson Roadrunners, 11 goals last season to lead all Tucson defencemen, and exactly one NHL game, on April 9, 2024.
And the mechanism underneath all of it: until this season, a 19-year-old drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League could not be assigned to the AHL at all. It was the NHL or back to junior. Players developing in European leagues, the NCAA and the USHL never had that restriction. Under the CBA ratified in July 2025, each NHL club may now assign one 19-year-old CHL player to its AHL affiliate, starting in 2026-27.
Montreal Canadiens prospect analysis. No game footage is used, all visuals are AI-generated stills. This video contains AI-generated narration and imagery.
— SOURCES —
Montréal Canadiens (NHL.com) — Canadiens acquire defenseman Maksymilian Szuber from the Utah Mammoth, June 29, 2026:
https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/canadiens-acquire-defenseman-maksymilian-szuber-from-the-utah-mammoth-june-29-2026
Montréal Canadiens (NHL.com) — One-year contract for Maksymilian Szuber, August 3, 2026:
https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/one-year-contract-for-maksymilian-szuber-aug-3-2026
Daily Faceoff — 19-year-old CHL players allowed to play in the AHL starting in 2026-27:
https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/19-year-old-chl-players-allowed-play-in-ahl-starting-2026-27-nhl
#MaksymilianSzuber #GoHabsGo #NHLProspects
The rule underneath this video is the part almost nobody outside a front office knows, so here it is in plain language.
Until this season, if you were 19 and had been drafted out of the Quebec, Ontario or Western junior leagues, there was no American League for you. You either played in the NHL or you went back to junior. There was no middle step, no matter how obviously you had outgrown the level. Players developing in European leagues, the NCAA or the USHL were never covered by that restriction, which is why a German kid can be a professional at 17 and a kid from Rimouski cannot.
Under the CBA ratified in July 2025, that finally moved. Starting this season, each NHL club may assign exactly one 19-year-old CHL player to its AHL affiliate. One. 18-year-olds are still ineligible.
So here is the prediction I want from you, with a date on it: by the end of October, will Montreal have used its one slot? And if you say yes, name the player now, so you can come back and collect.
The issue with Roy is the lack of involment on the ice. He has the talent but once he got the chance he choked, Maybe this trade will help him. wish him all the best in Utah. They have a good coach that might be able to help Roy. Laval (Montreal american league team) need weight at the blue line so its a win win for both organization and a second chance to 2 players
I don't even understand how Roy made it this far. J. Drouin had more talent and Roy as less balls. He won't make it far.
Lets see how Szuber performs in Laval.