Laval head coach Pascal Vincent paired Mittelstadt with Adam Engstrom, who was recalled by the Canadiens<\/a> this week after an injury to Alexandre Carrier<\/a>. Mittelstadt practised with 2023 No. 5 overall draft choice this week.<\/p>\n \u201cHe makes good decisions, is smart, competes and has good hockey sense,\u201d Vincent said of Mittelstadt. \u201cHe can jump into the play and can defend. I\u2019ve been very impressed with him. It looks like he has been here the whole year. He\u2019s a good player.\u201d<\/p>\n But good enough to eventually play with the Canadiens? Mittelstadt wouldn\u2019t have signed if he didn\u2019t believe that possibility existed. While seventh-round draft picks face an onerous task, Montreal centre Jake Evans<\/a> is proof it can be done.<\/p>\n Still, the Canadiens\u2019 blue line has depth \u2014\u00a0even without Reinbacher, who has spent the entire season in the AHL, but appears ready to be promoted. And because Mittelstadt went two years without getting drafted, he jokes about actually considering himself a 21st-round pick. Still, he realizes he\u2019s considered a long-term prospect.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to keep getting faster,\u201d said Mittelstadt, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn. \u201cThe first step is super important, especially at the next level. I\u2019ll keep rounding out my game. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t give the other team an inch,\u201d he added. \u201cIn college, you can get away with that a bit. Here, I\u2019ve learned you can\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Laval](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0403-spt-rocket.jpg\")
Laval Rocket defenceman Luke Mittelstadt takes a breather during practice at Place Bell on March 31. Dave Sidaway \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n