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Tom Banks
December 8, 2025  (11:08)

Kaapo Kahkonen of the Montreal Canadiens.

Photo credit: YardBarker

The Canadiens suffered a tough loss on Sunday to the St. Louis Blues, and immediately after the game, Kaapo Kahkonen was demoted to the AHL.

The Montreal Canadiens have been very up-and-down as of late, and with the team playing in the second of a back-to-back on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues, they were hoping to build momentum.

Ahead of the game, the team made a surprise move, recalling goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League on an emergency basis for this one.

Kahkonen served as the backup to rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes for this one, and while he showed flashes, he allowed four goals on just 18 shots in this one as they fell late to the Blues 4-3.

Kahkonen demoted to the AHL immediately

Immediately after the game, the Canadiens demoted Kahkonen, announcing on social media that they were sending him back to the Laval Rocket, a team that he’s made nine appearances with this season.

In that time, Kahkonen has posted a 2.81 GAA and an .895 save percentage, and given that he’s got 140 games of NHL experience under his belt, he’s a great depth piece for this team to have as they look to solidify themselves as a Stanley Cup contender this season.

While there may be potential roles out there for Kahkonen, settling in as the third goalie in the Canadiens organization behind Dobes and Samuel Montembeault isn’t a bad place to be, and while he’s back to the AHL for now, it’s only a matter of time until we see him back in the NHL potentially playing a backup role.

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