Montreal Canadiens development camp kicks off on July 2nd, and amongst the 42 players who were invited are 15 players who are coming on a tryout basis.
The tryouts are generally junior-aged players who have gone undrafted at least once. It’s far from a guarantee to earn a contract, but generally a good sign that the Canadiens’ amateur scouts see potential in your abilities and are considering you to fill depth positions in the organization.
Of the 19 players who were invited to the 2015 development camp, four have since signed entry-level contracts with the Canadiens: Michael McNiven, Tom Parisi, Markus Eisenschmid, and Ryan Johnston. In addition another three played in the AHL for the Canadiens: Travis Brown, Chris Joyaux, and Angelo Miceli. Dryden Hunt was another tryout that year, and has since signed an entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. Same with Tim Clifton and the San Jose Sharks and Tim McGauley with the Washington Capitals.
It’s a foot in the door for players who won’t give up on their goal to play professional hockey. Last year, Reid Duke was an invite at development camp and later became the first player to sign a contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.
After not drafting a Quebec-born player for the second straight year, the Canadiens have invited four players from the QMJHL. This, and a stated intention to bring French Canadian talent to the Rocket in the AHL, shows that they are looking for potential talent at home.
Of the group, the oldest is Jordan Boucher a 23-year old left winger who completed his fourth year at Clarkson University (NCAA). The six foot forward was considered the team’s top playmaker heading into the season. He acquitted himself well. He was only one of four players with more than 10 goals on the season, with nine games lost to injury during the course of the year. He started his professional career at the conclusion of the season with the Binghamton Senators, playing nine games, but not putting up any points.
Offensively-speaking, Maxime Fortier, a right-winger from Montrealer playing for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, has the most interesting statistics. He was passed over in his two years of entry draft eligibility and could be an interesting option for the Rocket. Fortier will be participating in his second Canadiens development camp, taking part in last year’s event as well. He has scored over 30 goals in his second and third year of junior, leading the team in scoring while riding shotgun with first overall pick Nico Hischier. He was ninth overall in league scoring this past season. The concern with him is probably that his stats are inflated due to his line-mate, and at 5’10” and 176 lbs. the spectre of size haunts his professional aspirations. Scouting reports suggest that he does not allow his size to act as a detriment and is a very strong skater with tremendous top-gear foot speed, and quick and precise playmaking skills.
Similarily there is Alexandre Goulet, a 5’11” centre for the Victoriaville Tigers. At 21-years old and completing his junior career, he started his pro career playing three games for the Rochester Americans in the AHL at the end of last season. If the name of the Thetford Mines native rings a bell, it’s because he was present at the Canadiens development camp way back in 2014. Since then he has gone to have three consecutive seasons of 30+ goals and 60+ points. This past season he was the seventh highest point scorer in the League however the same concerns that plague Fortier also apply to Goulet. Goulet played often with Maxime Comtois, one of the top prospects out of the Q in this year’s draft class.
Finally Alexandre Alain has seen his entry draft eligibility come and go, and the 20-year old 6’1” centreman now faces the decision of playing an overage season in the QMJHL for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada or try to score a professional contract. Alain let the team in scoring this season with a modest 52 points, but the team was deep on offence which allowed them to spread out the results to a positive effect. He is a local player with a strong backstory of perseverance after an operation to remove a tumour in his spinal cord. He is perhaps not as flashy offensively as Goulet or Fortier, but he is considered a good energy player with “good” offensive ability. The more rounded resume will perhaps be to his benefit with the Rocket trying to mould their roster as players come and go to the Montreal Canadiens.
There is a very strong chance that at least one of these players will receive at least an AHL contract with the Laval Rocket as the organizational depth for the Montreal Canadiens is a little thin, especially at forward, which all of these players are.
The first of four scrimmages will be Sunday afternoon at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard.
