MONTREAL — The Canadiens have bolstered their blue-line depth ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
The club acquired veteran defenseman Jon Merrill from the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday for a fifth-round draft pick in 2021 and minor league forward Hayden Verbeek.
Merrill appeared in 36 games with the Red Wings in 2020-21, picking up five assists while averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time. The 29-year-old from Oklahoma City has 12 goals and 66 points in 392 career regular-season games with the Devils, Golden Knights and Red Wings since being selected 38th overall by New Jersey in the 2010 draft and making his NHL debut in 2013-14.
Verbeek had one goal and two assists with Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League this season. The pick heading to Detroit in the trade previously belonged to the Ottawa Senators.
The trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. ET Monday.