Former Merrimack Defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic Joins Canadiens

MONTREAL, CANADA — Four days after being claimed on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens, former Merrimack College defender Jonathan Kovacevic made his regular-season debut with the Original Six franchise on Wednesday.

Kovacevic, 25, played 26 shifts and saw 19 minutes of action, blocking one shot, in the Canadiens' 4-3 victory over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs in the season-opener at Centre Bell in Montreal. He was introduced to the Montreal crowd before the game.

The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Kovacevic, who is from Niagara Falls, Ontario, was released by the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and then claimed by Canadiens a day later.

"It's one of the most storied franchises in sports, really," Kovacevic said Monday while speaking to reporters in Montreal. "It's crazy actually. I know how much history is here, I know from a lot of people. Actually, one of my closest mentors in Winnipeg was Mike Keane (currently the Jets' player development coordinator), who played here and was captain here. I heard some unbelievable things from him, and told him I'd try to follow in his footsteps."

The second-highest drafted player in Merrimack College history, Kovacevic was the Jets' third-round pick (74th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft.

A standout in the minor leagues, Kovacevic won the Best Defenseman Award for the Manitoba Moose — the Jets' top minor league team —during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

Kovacevic made his NHL debut on Jan. 27, 2022, playing for the Jets in a home game against the Vancouver Canucks. He played a total of four games and agreed to a three-year contract over the summer.

Though it ultimately didn't work out in Winnipeg, people who cover the Canadiens feel the team made a solid addition in Kovacevic.

"(Kovacevic) is exactly the type of player the Canadiens were looking to add," wrote Marco D'Amico of MontrealHockeyNow.com. "The 6-4, 208-pound right-shot defenseman is an interesting pickup for the club, as he had shown some significant progress in his play while suiting up for the Manitoba Moose over the last three years.

"The Winnipeg Jets' 3rd round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft was one of the best offensive defensemen in the AHL last year, potting 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 62 games on an offensively challenged Moose roster."

At Merrimack, Kovacevic appeared in 101 games, recording 54 points (9 goals, 45 assists).

He was an assistant captain on the Warriors' 2018-19 team and he earned back-to-back Hockey East All-Academic honors.