The Montreal Canadiens have announced their roster for the upcoming annual Rookie Tournament, alongside prospects of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, signalling the start of the 2017-18 season of hockey.
There are 23 players on this year’s roster, including 12 drafted players, 3 players under minor league contracts, and 8 tryouts.
Goaltenders
- Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack (OHL), 2015-FA
- Antoine Samuel, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL), tryout/
Defencemen
- Simon Bourque, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL), 2015-6R
- Josh Brook, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL), 2017-2R
- Cale Fleury, Kootenay Ice (WHL), 2017-3R
- Noah Juulsen, Everett Silvertips (WHL), 2015-1R
- Stefan Leblanc, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL), 2017-FA (AHL)
- Victor Mete, London Knights (OHL), 2016-4R
- Jarret Tyszka, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), 2017-5R
- Scott Walford, Victoria Royals (WHL), 2017-3R/
Forwards
- Jeremiah Addison, Windsor Spitfires (OHL), 2015-7R
- Alexandre Alain, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL), tryout
- Daniel Audette, St. John’s IceCaps (AHL), 2014-5R
- Will Bitten, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL), 2016-3R
- Jordan Boucher, Clarkson University (NCAA), tryout
- Thomas Ebbing, Michigan State University (NCAA), 2017-FA (AHL)
- Maxime Fortier, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL), tryout
- Alexandre Goulet, Victoriaville Tigers (QMJHL), tryout
- James McEwen, Guelph Storn (OHL), tryout
- Niki Petti, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL), 2017-FA (AHL)
- Michael Pezzetta, Sudbury Wolves (OHL), 2016-6R
- Martin Reway, did not play in 2016-17, 2013-4R
- Antoine Waked, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL), 2017-FA/
This year the event moves from London’s Budweiser Gardens to Toronto’s Ricoh Stadium, and the field of teams is reduced by one team, as the Pittsburgh Penguins will not participate.
The players will convene in Brossard on Thursday, September 7th for medical testing before heading out to Toronto.
The tournament is over three days from Friday, September 8th to Sunday, September 10th. Each team will play two games during the week-end. Although nothing concrete is on the line, early pre-season bragging rights about the quality of the prospect pool depth will be up for grabs, mainly for the teams’ rival fanbases.
For the Canadiens it will be an opportunity to field test some of their latest acquisitions such as draft picks Josh Brook, and Cale Fleury, as well as undrafted signee Antoine Waked. The Canadiens are also looking at adding to their depth by offering tryouts to goaltender Antoine Samuel and five forwards who participated in this summer’s Development Camp: Maxime Fortier, Alexandre Alain, James McEwen, Jordan Boucher, and Alexandre Goulet.
NCAA prospects will not take part in the event because their college seasons have already begun. That means that this past summer’s first round pick Ryan Poehling will not take part, and neither will Cayden Primeau, Casey Staum, or Jake Evans, among others. Also not taking part is Jimmy Schuldt, a standout invitee to this summer’s development camp, who is returning to St. Cloud State University for his Junior season despite significant interest from multiple NHL teams, including obviously the Canadiens, who wanted to sign the undrafted defenceman.
Obviously the biggest story leading up to the tournament will be the return of Martin Reway who declared forfeit just prior to last season’s tournament as a result of a serious infection that cost him the entire season. The Habs brass will be watching closely to evaluate his return to form to see where he will fit best this season, if at all.
Reway is one of the very few over 22-year olds on the roster. The list also includes AHL signee Thomas Ebbing and Boucher.
The players then return to Montreal for three more days of camp, finishing up on Wednesday, September 13th.
