Rinat Valiev

The Canadiens aren't sure what they have in Valiev, a hulking defenseman who came over from Toronto in the Tomas Plekanec trade. The Habs were in a position to give him ice time last season but Valiev suffered a lower-body injury that cost him more than a month of action -- he played just two games for Montreal as a result. As part of the Maple Leafs organization, Valiev was known as a defense-first player capable of moving the puck to a degree; has a tendency to stare down forwards on breakout passes. That he's a left-handed shot, a position of need for the Habs, means he'll compete for one of the final spots on the blue line. His two-way contract means the Habs would rather see him develop at AHL Laval, though he'll need to pass through waivers in order to do so.