Hillis was a third-round pick in 2018 who has appeared in just one NHL game for the Canadiens. He's started the 2023 season in the ECHL, where he had two goals in three games with Trois-Rivieres Lions. Hillis will report to Rockford (AHL).

The Canadiens now have a total of 23 players on the COVID-19 protocol list. They are not scheduled to play again until next Wednesday, so they should get most, if not all of them back by then.

Montreal selected Hillis in the third-round of the 2018 draft. The 19-year-old centre finished his third-year with the Guelph Storm first on the team in assists (59), second in points (83) and third in goals (24) in 62 games.