Former Canadiens Top Prospect Officially Done in the Organization? An Analyst Has Made a Major Prediction Regarding 23-Year Old Defenseman Mattias Norlinder and We May Be Watching His Final Days

The third-round pick of 2019 experienced a rollercoaster in his performances, transitioning from being the Montreal Canadiens' top defensive prospect to a surplus player the organization doesn't quite know what to do with.

Despite a disappointing campaign last year in Laval, Norlinder arrived at the Canadiens' camp with a fire in his eyes. His on-ice performances during the preseason were quite impressive, making him one of the last cuts from the main team.

After such a strong camp, expectations were high again for the 23-year-old Swede. Given his solid preseason performance, many believed he could be one of the top defensemen in the AHL this year.

Unfortunately, after 16 games with the Rocket, it's clear that nothing is going right for him. As an offensive defenseman, he has only two points and a dreadful -18 differential.

Despite being a veteran in the young Rocket team, Norlinder is undeniably the worst defender on the club.

Given his poor performance this season, in the last year of his contract, many wonder about his future in professional hockey, with some speculating that his time in North America is over.

With a plethora of promising young defensemen, some not even yet in the club's fold, like Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, and Bogdan Konyushkov, it seems clear that Norlinder has burned his last chance with the Canadiens.

He will become a restricted free agent this summer, but it's increasingly evident that Kent Hughes will opt not to extend a qualifying offer to free up his contract from the organization. It's doubtful that another NHL team will offer him a deal after a disastrous AHL campaign.