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Two giants standing 6-foot-4 and taller have just landed on waivers, and the Montreal Canadiens have a decision to make.
This Friday afternoon, Joona Koppanen found himself on waivers with the Pittsburgh Penguins. On the Florida Panthers’ side, Anton Lundmark was also placed on waivers, this time for the purpose of contract termination.
Koppanen, 27, is a big forward at 6 feet 5 inches and 215 pounds. He was drafted in the 5th round, 135th overall, by the Boston Bruins in 2016. In 2024-2025, Koppanen played 11 games with the Penguins, scoring 1 goal, with 10 shots and 40 hits. In 56 games at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL, he added 23 points, including 8 goals.
“Koppanen (PIT) on waivers
Lundmark (FLA) on waivers for purposes of contract termination”
– Elliotte Friedman, Sportsnet
Lundmark, 24, stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 192 pounds. He comes from Sweden and made the jump to North America after convincing with Timra IK. Last season with Timra IK, in Sweden’s top league, Lundmark recorded 9 points, 5 goals and 4 assists, in 49 games. He also played 4 playoff games without registering a point.
Joona Koppanen and Anton Lundmark, two options that intrigue the Canadiens
In 2023-2024, he collected 23 points, including 7 goals, in 44 games with Tingsryds in the HockeyAllsvenskan, with 32 penalty minutes. Interestingly, he did not receive a single penalty minute last year with Timra, in the regular season or the playoffs.
Let us recall that waivers allow a team to claim a player without giving anything up in return, simply by absorbing his contract. If Kent Hughes decides to raise his hand by Saturday at 2 p.m., Koppanen or Lundmark could therefore end up in Montreal completely free.
“Elliotte Friedman: Someone said to me, if you were willing to take the full number [$3.3m] for Laurent Brossoit…a late round pick or future considerations; if you’re asking for Chicago to retain…you’ll probably have to do a little bit more.”
– FAN Hockey Show
He has not played since the 2024 playoffs, but his two-year, $3.3 million contract could interest a club looking for a goaltender. At 32, he is coming off two seasons above a .920 save percentage, including a 23-game season with a .927 save percentage for the Jets.
In a short span of time, two big forwards and an established goaltender have thus become part of the discussions surrounding the Canadiens. We will know Saturday afternoon whether Kent Hughes finally decides to take advantage of this window to add size to his lineup.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey