Canadiens acquire Sasha Pastujov from Ducks for Sean Farrell

Montreal and Anaheim swapped two restricted free agent forwards on Monday, sending Sasha Pastujov to the Canadiens for Sean Farrell and redrawing the AHL picture for Laval and San Diego. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced the deal from Brossard, Quebec, and Anaheim confirmed it had received Farrell in return.

Pastujov arrives with the kind of AHL production Montreal can use immediately. The 23-year-old put up career highs with the San Diego Gulls in 2025-26, finishing with 21 goals, 36 assists, 57 points and 71 games played. That is the profile of a forward who was already driving offense, not just hanging around the edges of a roster. Pastujov has also been viewed as a skilled offensive player with a great shot and good vision, with the biggest questions centered on mobility and pace. In Laval, that skill set points to top-six minutes and power-play work right away, because Montreal is buying a scorer who can be tested in a bigger role instead of a depth piece who needs sheltering.

Farrell gives Anaheim a different kind of asset. The 24-year-old center spent the 2025-26 season with the Laval Rocket, so the Ducks are getting a player who already knows the pace and demands of a primary AHL affiliate. He also brings a U.S. Olympian background, which makes him a distinct development bet from Pastujov even in a one-for-one swap. For Laval, his exit matters because it removes a center from the Rocket’s nightly rotation and opens ice time in the middle of the lineup for the next forwards on the chart, especially on special teams.

The move lands hardest in San Diego, where Pastujov had become one of the Gulls’ more productive offensive drivers. His 71 games underline the durability coaches want in the AHL, and his 57 points gave Anaheim a forward who could handle regular usage and keep producing. Losing that kind of season from the lineup forces San Diego to replace both scoring and responsibility, not just fill a jersey.

For Montreal, the logic is straightforward. The Canadiens wanted the player whose best pro season already suggested more offense was coming, especially from the power play. Anaheim chose the player with a year in Laval and a different developmental lane, betting that Farrell fits its longer-term forward planning even if Pastujov’s raw production was the louder number.