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The Montreal Canadiens announced that defenceman Josh Brook will join the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League. He will join the team in Toronto for Saturday’s game.
Defenseman Josh Brook will join the Laval Rocket on Saturday in Toronto for their game against the Marlies. Brook’s WHL season ended on Wednesday.
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) March 29, 2019
The Moose Jaw Warriors’ captain played 59 games this season, registering 16 goals and 59 assists for 75 points.
Brook’s junior season came to an end on Wednesday when the Moose Jaw Warriors were swept in the first round by the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League playoffs.
In what is likely his final junior season, Brook scored 16 goals and added 59 assists in 59 games for 75 points, making him the top offensive defenceman in the WHL this past season.
Brook signed his NHL entry-level contract in September prior to being returned to junior by the Canadiens which allowed his contract to slide by a year, but still provides him with an AHL salary for this assignment, hence why he was able to join without a professional tryout contract.
The Laval Rocket have a fairly reliable and steady group of six defencemen, including Karl Alzner, Cale Fleury, Xavier Ouellet, David Sklenicka, Brett Lernout, and Maxim Lamarche, so it will be interesting to see where Brook would fit in the rotation. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see Joel Bouchard dress seven defencemen in this case.
Odds are that Brook has now completed his junior career and will join the pro ranks full time for next season.