Luke Mittelstadt: P.K. Subban’s record is within his reach

Luke Mittelstadt has been gaining popularity in Montreal since training camp. The 23-year-old defenseman, who performed well in camp, has now recorded 13 points in six AHL games during the 2026-27 season.

Remember: he's a defenseman.

Of course, his offensive breakout is somewhat surprising. Mittelstadt wasn't necessarily the most offensive-minded player in the NCAA (he tallied 21 points in 36 games during his most productive season), and he seems to have found his niche in Laval.

And it's even more striking when you consider that Mittelstadt is already on track to score more than 53 points this season… which would be a record for a defenseman on the Habs' farm team since 2000.

A record currently held by P.K. Subban during his 2009–10 season (when he was 20 years old), as noted by Nicolas Cloutier (TVA Sports) tonight.

Habs prospect Luke Mittelstadt is at the heart of a most unexpected—and potentially historic—offensive breakout.

So much so that he has P.K. Subban's record in his sights. https://t.co/FlW94avWHV

— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) October 20, 2026

We know that Subban, after setting that record, went on to have a great career in the NHL. He helped the Habs with strong performances in the 2010 playoffs and went on to be one of the league's top offensive defensemen for about a decade afterward.

We can all agree that this would be an exceptional scenario for Mittelstadt, who was drafted in the seventh round. But obviously, we're far from being able to even think about that.

Matt Taormina (52 points in 2017–18) and Miloslav Guren (51 points in 2000–01) are the only other defensemen from the Canadiens' farm team to have recorded 50 points in a single season since 2000. We know that these guys, unlike Subban, didn't go on to have great careers in the NHL.

Racking up 50 points in a single AHL season isn't a guarantee that a defenseman will shine in the NHL. But still, in Mittelstadt's case (who is truly dominant on the ice), it's encouraging to see him showcase his offensive skills.

In a nutshell

– Hehe.

I've never been a fan of Kris Kross-style vests…

But I have to admit: I'm even less of a fan when it comes to a Kirby Dach jersey.

It's clear that the guy behind the Habs' bench is trolling us all… https://t.co/7JQlBUz0xn

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) October 21, 2026

– An interesting response (and a good question).

I asked #NYR's Mike Sullivan why he took Pavel Dorofeyev off the first power play unit, and then put him back on it:

Sullivan: “You want to know the answer?”

*I froze in my tracks for a moment:

“Yes.”

“Yes? Okay, so I've been telling the power play for a number of games now that the first unit—they have to make smarter line changes. And when the puck gets dumped down 2 or 3 times, and they have to go 200 feet to get it and then work their way back into the offensive zone, they should make a line change—and Pav didn't. At some point, there needs to be some accountability for that. Unfortunately for Pav, he was the one. I told the power-play guys that we have to be smart. We've got another unit that's pretty good, too. We've got some good players on it. And I know Pav means well and he's trying to do the right thing out there, but we all have to be aware—all of us—that when we're on the power play and we extend our shifts, that's usually when bad things happen. You're tired; you don't think or execute the same way. A lot of times, you end up giving up goals in those situations because you don't have the energy to play the game the right way. And we've been asking our team for several games now to make the line change at the right time. So, if that falls on deaf ears, then you have to take other measures.”

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) October 20, 2026

– Makes sense.

Pierre LeBrun: On the Predators: Ryan O'Reilly…will undoubtedly be in high demand if the Predators aren't in a playoff spot by the new year – The Athletic (10/9)

— NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) October 19, 2026

– Zach Whitecloud: The Flames are greedy.

What would it take for the Leafs to land Zach Whitecloud?

@TheFourthPeriod thinks Calgary could be looking for an A-level prospect, a high draft pick, or some combination of the two.

“It's not a low price for Zach Whitecloud.” https://t.co/Zn7VvA3CDP

— Leafs Morning Take (@LMTake_) October 20, 2026

– Interesting.

Discussions with the league are underway. https://t.co/cUKUu1XOSK https://t.co/25xV4RXS5X

— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) October 21, 2026